Diksmuide, for better and worse, is located on the banks of the Ijzer River. As the Ijzer defined the front line between German and allied troops for several years during World War I, Diksmuide attracted an enormous amount of ordnance, and by 1918, there was nothing left of it but rubble.
A meticulous rebuilding campaign commenced after the armistice. One of the most prominent products of that campaign is St. Niklaaskerk, a church reconstructed faithfully in its original gothic style. Another is a memorial tower 84 meters tall honoring the war dead; on the bottom floor, there is a war history museum; from the top, there is an inspiring view of the town and the surrounding countrysde. The "Trench of Death" museum is a preserved battlement from WWI.
Beerst, Driekapellen, Esen, Kaaskerke, Keiem, Lampernisse, Leke, Nieuwkapelle, Oostkerke, Oudekapelle, Pervijze, Sint-Jacobs-Kapelle, Stuivekenskerke, Vladslo, and Woumen are boroughs within the municipal district of Diksmuide.
