Mariakerke (Dutch pronunciation: [maːˈrijaːˌkɛrkə]) is a sub-municipality of the city of Ghent located in the province of East Flanders, Flemish Region, Belgium.

[1] In the 17th century, Mariakerke was divided in two because of the construction of the "Brugse Vaart", a canal that connects the cities of Ghent and Bruges.

A lot of city people moved to the country side, and Mariakerke witnessed a real population boom.

In the 1970s, the city of Ghent started expanding again, slowly but surely absorbing the village of Mariakerke into its urban borders.

Some famous buildings in Kolegem are the former municipality house of Mariakerke (now containing only the administrative services), the Kollekasteel and the restaurant De Groene Staak.