Monument of Leopold II

Having this statue of Leopold II so graciously displayed, would be like having a statue of Hitler in Austria. For shame.

It's a complete disgrace, a monument to an insane monarch and a dynasty/institution that should be annihilated.

At the very end of the beach, this monument is one of a favorite spot to get selfies and we can walk along the beach, get a coffee in nearest resto and having a good times.. 👍

Entrance is free but you can not ascend to the balcony of the statue itself (the entrance is on private property of the former Royal Villa, now a revalidation home).
Although the square is an impressive central place and entrygate to the seaside boulevard, the statue has been a constant source of controversy due to the personal involvement of King Leopold II in the colonialism of Congo in Africa. Keen observers may see there is actually a hand missing on one of the statues below the King. It has been sawn of by a local activist group, this is a referral to the former practice of severe capital punishment (the cutting of hands) in Congo.

Historical monument of Leopold II, located on the pier of Oostende.

Well every country has terrible leaders who are idolised and in the case of Belgium its king leopold 2td. The existance of this monument is in itself a reflection of how far mankind has progressed - or not - since it was built in the 1930s. The plaque aludes to his atrocities but not in a great deal of detail so best Google it.

Nice statue, nice beach. But it's not possible to go to the roof of the wall, it would be nice to see the beach from there.

"In the period from 1885 to 1908, a number of well-documented atrocities were perpetrated in the Congo Free State (today the Democratic Republic of the Congo) which, at the time, was a colony under the personal rule of King Leopold II of Belgium. These atrocities were sometimes collectively referred to by European contemporaries as the "Congo Horrors", and were particularly associated with the labour policies used to collect natural rubber for export. Together with epidemic disease, famine, and a falling birth rate caused by these disruptions, the atrocities contributed to a sharp decline in the Congolese population. The magnitude of the population fall over the period is disputed, but it is thought to be between one and 15 million people."