Located in the Flemish province of West Flanders, the city of Oostende, the largest population center on the Belgian coast, is protected from the North Sea by a network of dikes. Originally a small fishing village when it was chartered as a city in the 13th century, Oostende has been plagued throughout its history by a constant onslaught by invaders from the sea. Two of Belgian's kings, Leopold I and Leopold II, later decided to spend their summers in Oostende, which raised the town's prestige and transformed it into a fashionable 19th-century resort. Following the most recent period of destruction during aerial bombardments of WWII, modern Oostende has grown into a transportation hub and resort town, famous for its sea-side esplanade, pier, and fine-sand beaches. Oostende affords convenient access to the historic Belgian towns of Bruges and Ghent.