A shopping trip to Zierikzee
Don’t miss out on these sights when in Zierikzee
Written by zeeland.com
Zierikzee is an authentic old town with countless historic buildings and other places of interest. The historic townscape is a feast for the eyes! Marvel at its medieval town gates and the old town hall. In this blog we will introduce you to some of Zierikzee’s outstanding places of interest.
Zierikzee town hall museum
The Stadhuismuseum Zierikzee, or town hall museum, tells the story of Zierikzee’s past and the region of Schouwen-Duiveland. Amongst the museum’s collection are historic maps, scale-models of boats, archaeological treasures and much more to arouse your curiosity. At the top of the old town hall tower is a golden wind vane. This is a representation of Neptune, the Roman god of the sea.
Nieuwe Kerk Zierikzee
One of Zierikzee’s outstanding buildings is the Nieuwe Kerk. In former times, the church bore the name Sint Lievensmonsterkerk, or church of St Livinus, but this was so badly damaged by fire in 1832 that it had to be demolished. Almost a third of the present structure has been rebuilt in neo-classical style. The church is occasionally used for concert recitals. If you look closely, on the church square you can still see traces of the old church.
Dikke Toren Zierikzee
Opposite the Nieuwe Kerk is the tower of the old Sint Lievensmonsterkerk. This 62-metre tower is known locally as the Dikke Toren, or ‘fat tower’. This was the only part of the old church that managed to survive after the fire of 1832. Nowadays you can climb to the top of the tower. From the top of the Dikke Toren there is a magnificent view over the narrow streets and historic buildings of the old town below. In the distance you can also see the Zeeland Bridge, the Plan Tureluur nature reserve and the arms of the sea stretching out across Zeeland. In clear weather it’s even possible to see as far as Rotterdam! Check the opening times beforehand.
Medieval town gates
Zierikzee has three magnificent medieval town gates: the Noordhavenpoort, Zuidhavenpoort and Nobelpoort. These are part of the former fortifications. The Noordhavenpoort (see photo) can be found at the entrance to the old harbour. On the other side is the imposing Zuidhavenpoort. The Nobelpoort is the oldest of the three gates. Nobody knows how the latter got its name: ‘noble’. According to one account, the building was established by two women. Because one of them walked with a limp, it’s said that one of its towers was built with a slight kink.
Corn mills
Zierikzee has two ancient corn mills: De Hoop and Den Haas. The De Hoop mill is the more recent of the two and stands in the centre of Zierikzee. Grain is still milled here. The mill welcomes visitors today and is open on Saturdays the whole year round from 9 a.m. to noon. In the summer, the mill keeps longer opening hours. The Den Haas mill (see photos) is at the Bolwerk. The mill is usually in operation on Fridays and can also be visited.
