| Oostakker | |
| Settlement Type: | Sub-municipality of Ghent |
| Image Map1: | OostakkerLocation.svg |
| Map Caption1: | Location of Oostakker in Ghent |
| Pushpin Map: | Belgium#Belgium East Flanders |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | Community |
| Subdivision Type2: | Region |
| Subdivision Type3: | Province |
| Subdivision Type4: | Arrondissement |
| Subdivision Name4: | Ghent |
| Subdivision Type5: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name5: | Ghent |
| Coordinates: | 51.1003°N 3.7633°W |
| Area Total Km2: | 10.47 |
| Population As Of: | 2020-01-01 |
| Population Total: | 14074 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal codes |
| Postal Code: | 9041 |
| Area Code Type: | Area codes |
| Area Code: | 09 |
Oostakker (in Dutch; Flemish pronounced as /ˈoːstˌɑkər/; formerly spelled Oostacker) is a sub-municipality of the city of Ghent located in the province of East Flanders, Flemish Region, Belgium. It was a separate municipality until 1977. In 1872, Sint-Amandsberg was detached from Oostakker. In 1900, 1920 and 1927, parts of the original municipality were already annexed to Ghent.[1] On 1 January 1977, the municipality of Oostakker was merged into Ghent.[2]
The hamlet is mainly known for the Shrine of Oostakker, a Roman Catholic shrine of the Virgin Mary.Residents of Oostakker are called Oostakkezen.
See main article: Oostakker Basilica. The miraculous shrine of the Blessed Virgin is a place of pilgrimage from Belgium, the Netherlands and Northern France. It is a comparatively recent, dating from 1873 dating from a statue in a grotto built by the local gentry family. It was first opened to the local peasants on Sundays, but comparatively quickly it became very popular with a large Gothic church starting to be built in 1877. The shrine was entrusted to the Jesuits.