Page 249 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - The Netherlands

WESTERN NE THERLANDS  247

ZEELAND

The tiny province of Zeeland, as its name implies, is
inextricably linked with water and the sea. For hundreds
of years, the power of the North Sea and the flooding
deltas of the Maas and Schelde rivers have shaped the
landscape, encouraging resilience in the inhabitants
and the desire to control the elements.

From earliest times, storms and floods become a haven for wildlife and a
have taken their toll here. In the last playground for lovers of watersports.
century, the devastation of two world Towns such as Middelburg, Zierikzee
wars was followed by the disastrous floods and Veere and villages such as Nisse,
and storm surges of 1953. Although St Anna-ter-Muiden and Dreischor have
there are a number of fine churches and lots of old buildings, some of which
public buildings dating as far back as the have been restored to their 17th-century
14th century, in places near the coast grandeur, with attractive features such
there are very few houses more than as bell towers and frescoes.
50 years old. As a result, determination The close relationship with water and
to keep the waters at bay has spawned the sea is well documented in a variety
massive construction and canal building, of small museums. The tangible benefits
with giant dams and land reclamation are perhaps twofold: an abundance of
schemes offering a level of security seafood for the province’s restaurants, and
that has changed the landscape forever. the aforementioned opportunities for
The storms were not all bad news. Traces water sports. Few regions in Europe offer as
of Roman settlements were uncovered, much scope for sailing, windsurfing, water
and lakes and inland waterways have skiing and diving as does little Zeeland.

The 15th-century Stadhuis (town hall) dominating the historic town of Veere
Aerial view of the beach at low tide, Domburg

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