The Fish House, Borssele

Most people know Borssele for its nuclear power station, which has stood here since 1973. But the village of Borssele has a much older and more fascinating history. Note: the village is spelled with a double 's', while the municipality uses just one. The name refers to the noble Van Borssele family, one of the wealthiest in Zeeland from the 13th century onwards. The medieval village of Borssele disappeared in the 15th and 16th centuries due to flooding. After the land was reclaimed, Cornelis Soetwater designed a remarkable, symmetrical village plan in 1616. Four main roads lead from the four compass directions to a central square, where church, school, town hall, shops and the fish house were built. The square and much of the village are now a protected townscape. The location on the Western Scheldt brought trade, fishing and shipping. The 19th-century fish house was rebuilt after the war. Above the entrance is the telling inscription: 'hear, see and keep silent' — a nod to the gossip that once filled this meeting place.