Nowadays the river Scheldt cuts through the town, but until the 16th century there was a town on each bank: Oudenaarde and Pamele, which later merged.

Pamele’s origins can be found in the 13th century when the local lords started building big structures such as the Church of Our Lady of Pamele.

Along the Scheldt you can enjoy a magnificent view of historic buildings: the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk (1234, Church of Our Lady), which is the classic example of the Scheldt Gothic style, the Zwartezusterklooster (Convent of the Black Nuns), the House de Lalaing and the abbey of Maagdendale, which was once one of the biggest nunneries in Flanders.