Baudouin I, bronze statue of King Baudouin I on the Zeedijk in Ostend, Belgium

Baudouin I is a weathered bronze figure on the Zeedijk in Ostend, made by Josyane Vanhoutte and unveiled in 2000. The king stands in profile in a long overcoat falling below the knees, his right hand raised near his chin and his left hand in a pocket, bare-headed with short hair. The sculpture rests on a low flat base on paving beside a stone building with tall windows.

The king took the throne in 1951 at just twenty-one years old after his father, King Leopold III, stepped down. This monument was placed after his passing to honor his decades of service and his role in shaping the nation during his reign.

The name of the king remains connected to Belgian identity, and locals and visitors use this statue as a place to remember and reflect on the nation's past. People often pause here to think about history or leave flowers at the base of the monument.

This statue is located on the Zeedijk, an easily accessible promenade with shops and cafes nearby, making it a natural stop for people walking through the city. The open space around it allows visitors to stand, photograph, or pause for reflection without obstruction.

The bronze shows Baudouin bare-headed in a long overcoat, right hand raised near his chin and left hand in a pocket, a thinking pose rather than a formal suit. The dark grey-green surface is the patina the bronze has taken on outdoors beside the stone building with tall windows.