The Battle of Oudenaarde took place in the countryside northeast of town on the territories of the former communities of Eine, Heurne, Mullem and Ooike. Also part of Zingem (Huise) witnessed troop movements on 11 July 1708. The landscape played an important role in the development of the battle: in the closed landscape near the brooks (Marollebeek and Diepenbeek) with many hedges and groves the fighting was extremely chaotic. Then again, the ridge of the Rooigemkouter and the high ridge of the Ast in Mullem provided the French troops with vantage points.
The town of Oudenaarde asked the specialised bureau Visual Dimension from Ename to reconstruct the landscape of 1708. Using old maps (such as the Ferraris map) and archives the reconstruction shows what the area looked like three centuries ago. The result is exhibited in the town hall.
The countryside also receives due attention in the publication “Oudenaarde 1708, a town, a king, a general”. The authentic eyewitness report of an inhabitant of Eine helps to point out where the fighting took place. Photographs of the same locations in today’s landscape help the 21st-century inhabitant and visitor to read the landscape of 1708. The book is the result of the cooperation of the town council of Oudenaarde and the Davidsfonds publishing house.
An observation tower on the battlefield helps to guide the visitors through the landscape of 1708. The battle is made comprehensible by information panels.
