Page 126 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Belgium & Luxembourg

124  BEL GIUM AND L UXEMBOURG REGION B Y REGION

2 Damme
Tijl Uilenspiegel
5 km (3 miles) NE of Bruges.
Road Map B1. * 11,000. @ 4 A character that pops up regularly around Bruges and
n Toerisme Damme, Huyse de Grote Damme is Tijl Uilenspiegel, a legendary roguish
Sterre, Jacob van Maerlantstraat 3; trickster. Originally a German creation known as
(050) 288610. ( 2nd Sun of every Till Eulenspiegel, he came to Flanders with
month (books). the advent of printing, and was adopted
∑ damme-online.com into the local mythology. The Flemish
writer Charles de Coster (1827–79) revived
This pretty village of historic the character in a book published in 1867, and
red-brick buildings lies amidst
placed him in 16th-century Damme, fighting for
a beautiful polder landscape of independence from Spain. Tijl, his fiancée Nele and
tree-lined canals and pasture. In his sidekick Lamme Goedzak are remembered in a
the 14th and 15th centuries, it Bronze statue of number of statues, as well as in the names of
was a bustling port on the shores Tijl Uilenspiegel several restaur ants and other enterprises.
of the Zwin and at the head of
the canal that led into Bruges.
Standing witness to this golden 3 Knokke-Heist that are rarely found anywhere
era are the 15th-century Stadhuis else, such as the exotic sea
and several other buildings. These 15 km (9 miles) NE of Bruges. lavender. It also houses several
include the Huis St-Jan, once a Road Map B1. * 34,000. @ v species of migratory as well as
centre for the wine trade; the n Toerisme Knokke-Heist, Zeedijk- native birds, including wood-
house where Charles the Bold, Knokke 660; (050) 630380. peckers and the tiny egret.
Duke of Burgundy, married ∑ myknokke-heist.be
Margaret of York in 1468; and the Cited as the smartest E Sincfala
St-Janshospitaal, which houses seaside resort on the Pannenstraat 140. Tel (050) 530730.
a small museum of artifacts and Belgian coast, Open 10am–noon and 2–5:30pm
church treasures. The Huyse Knokke-Heist is daily. & ∑ sincfala.be
de Grote Sterre, once known for its
the Spanish military casino, its streets
governor’s residence, of chic boutiques 4 Zeebrugge
now has the Visitor and art galleries,
Centre and a museum Model of a boat at the its elegant villas Vismijnstraat 7; 15 km (9 miles) NE
devoted to Tijl Uilenspiegel. Sincfala museum and select golf of Bruges. Road Map A1. * 4,000.
Also of interest are the half courses. It is in fact Tel (050) 551415. v Open Jul–Aug:
ruined Onze-Lieve- a conurbation stretching some 6 10am–7pm daily; Sep–Jun: 10am–
Vrouwekerk and the 19th- km (4 miles) from Heist in the 6pm daily. Closed 2nd two weeks
century windmill Schellemolen. of Jan. & ∑ zeebrugge.net
west to Het Zoute in the east,
where development is curtailed The deep-water seaport of
E St-Janshospitaal by the dunes of the Zwin nature Zeebrugge was built at the
Kerkstraat 33. Tel (050) 461080. reserve. The tale of the Zwin and start of the 20th century. Under
Open Apr–Sep. & 7 the centuries-old fishing German occu pation in World
community of Heist – before War I, it became a vital strategic
E Huyse de Grote Sterre
Jacob van Maerlantstraat 3. Tel (050) tourism transformed the coast in port and U-Boat base, and the
target of the daring Zeebrugge
the late 19th century –
288610. Open daily. Closed noon– is eloquently told in Sincfala, Raid by British forces in 1918.
2pm. &
the museum of the Zwin region. Today, Zeebrugge has a rugged
P Schellemolen As a result of the salt sea industrial air, with its skyline
Damse Vaart-West. Open Easter and water, this natural reserve has dominated by cranes serving
Apr–Sep: Sat, Sun & public holidays. some specific species of flora container ships. It is also
Belgium’s biggest fishing
port. However, it has a softer
side, with some good beaches
and a sailing marina.
Close to the town’s centre
and occupying the quayside
warehouses of the former fish-
market is Seafront Zeebrugge.
This mixed bag of a museum
covers the history of the port
and various maritime themes.
Among the highlights are the
gadget-encrusted chambers of
One of several canals that cut across the polders at Damme a large 1960s Soviet submarine.
For hotels and restaurants see pp266–7 and pp283–6

124-125_EW_Belgium.indd 124 18/10/16 3:01 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.7)
Date 1st October 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm