Nieuwpoort ( ,
; vls, Nieuwpôort; french: Nieuport ) is a
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
and
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
located in
Flanders
Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, ...
, one of the three regions of
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
, and in the
Flemish
Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium; ...
province of
West Flanders
)
, settlement_type = Province of Belgium
, image_flag = Flag of West Flanders.svg
, flag_size =
, image_shield = Wapen van West-Vlaanderen.svg
, shield_size =
, image_map ...
. The municipality comprises the town of Nieuwpoort proper and the settlements of
Ramskapelle and
Sint-Joris. On 1 January 2008, Nieuwpoort had a total population of 11,062. The total area is 31.00 km² which gives a
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
of 350 inhabitants per km². The current mayor of Nieuwpoort is Geert Vanden Broucke (
CD&V)
In Nieuwpoort, the
Yser
The Yser ( , ; nl, IJzer ) is a river that rises in French Flanders (the north of France), enters the Belgian province of West Flanders and flows through the '' Ganzepoot'' and into the North Sea at the town of Nieuwpoort.
The source of the Ys ...
flows into the
North Sea
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian S ...
. It was also the home of a statue created by
Jan Fabre
Jan Fabre (born 14 December 1958) is a Belgian multidisciplinary artist, playwright, stage director, choreographer and designer.
Conviction for sexual assault and harassment
In September 2018, twenty former members of Fabre's performing ar ...
called ''
Searching for Utopia''. The Stadshalle Grain Hall (market hall) with its belfry was inscribed on the
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage List
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the UNESCO, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNES ...
in 1999 as part of the
Belfries of Belgium and France
The Belfries of Belgium and France are a group of 56 historical buildings designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, in recognition of the civic (rather than church) belfries serving as an architectural manifestation of emerging civic indep ...
site, owing to its historical civic (not religious) importance and its architecture.
History
![Nieuwpoort, Belgium ; Ferraris Map](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Nieuwpoort%2C_Belgium_%3B_Ferraris_Map.jpg)
It obtained
city rights in 1163 from
Count
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
Philip of Flanders. The
Battle of Nieuwpoort
The Battle of Nieuwpoort, was fought on 2 July 1600 during the Eighty Years War and the Anglo-Spanish war in the dunes near Nieuwpoort. The Anglo-Dutch companies met the Spanish veterans head on which, although their left flank nearly broke, w ...
, between the Dutch and the Spanish, happened here in 1600. The city was a
Dunkirker
During the Dutch Revolt (1568–1648), the Dunkirkers or Dunkirk Privateers were commerce raiders in the service of the Spanish monarchy. They were also part of the ''Dunkirk fleet'', which consequently was a part of the Spanish monarchy's ''Fl ...
base. Painter
Victor Boucquet
Vigor Boucquet or Victor Boucquet (Veurne, 1619 – Veurne, 1677) was a Flemish painter known for his portraits and paintings of biblical subjects. made two of the altar-pieces for the great church in the 17th century. The city was occupied by French forces for six years between 1757 and 1763, as part of the conditions of the
Second Treaty of Versailles
The second (symbol: s) is the unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), historically defined as of a day – this factor derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes and finally to 60 seconds e ...
between France and Austria. A large waterworks infrastructure project called the ''
Ganzepoot'' (''goose foot'', in Dutch) was constructed in Nieuwpoort in the 19th century to drain the
polders
A polder () is a low-lying tract of land that forms an artificial hydrological entity, enclosed by embankments known as dikes. The three types of polder are:
# Land reclaimed from a body of water, such as a lake or the seabed
# Flood plains ...
and channel water in and around the town and to the
North Sea
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian S ...
.
![0 Nieuport - Novembre 1917](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/0_Nieuport_-_Novembre_1917.JPG)
During the
Battle of the Yser
The Battle of the Yser (french: Bataille de l'Yser, nl, Slag om de IJzer) was a battle of the First World War that took place in October 1914 between the towns of Nieuwpoort and Diksmuide, along a stretch of the Yser River and the Yperlee ...
, part of the
First Battle of Ypres
The First Battle of Ypres (french: Première Bataille des Flandres; german: Erste Flandernschlacht – was a battle of the First World War, fought on the Western Front around Ypres, in West Flanders, Belgium. The battle was part of the Firs ...
in
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
,
Hendrik Geeraert opened the
sluice gates on the mouth of the river
Yser
The Yser ( , ; nl, IJzer ) is a river that rises in French Flanders (the north of France), enters the Belgian province of West Flanders and flows through the '' Ganzepoot'' and into the North Sea at the town of Nieuwpoort.
The source of the Ys ...
twice to flood the lower lying land, thus halting the German advance. Two
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
monuments, the
Nieuport Memorial
The British Nieuport Memorial is a First World War memorial, located in the Belgian port city of Nieuwpoort (french: link=no, Nieuport), which is at the mouth of the River Yser. The memorial lists 547 names of British officers and men with no k ...
and
King Albert I Memorial
The King Albert I Memorial, also named the King Albert I Monument ( nl, Koning Albert I-monument; french: Monument au Roi Albert Ier) is a memorial at the Belgian coastal city of Nieuwpoort. It is located right outside the old town, on the righ ...
, are in close proximity of the Ganzepoot.
Towns
The old city centre of Nieuwpoort is located about three kilometers from the coast. Close to the sea, a new tourist centre has developed. Both parts form one contiguous built up area, connected by buildings along the Albert I Laan street and the fishing port. Besides Nieuwpoort proper, two small villages in the Flemish
polder
A polder () is a low-lying tract of land that forms an artificial hydrological entity, enclosed by embankments known as dikes. The three types of polder are:
# Land reclaimed from a body of water, such as a lake or the seabed
# Flood plains s ...
s are part of the municipality,
Sint-Joris and
Ramskapelle.
Nieuwpoort is located by the sea. At the coastal line, it borders the municipalities
Koksijde
Koksijde (; french: Coxyde ; vls, Koksyde) is a town and a municipality in Belgium. It is located on the North Sea coast in the southwest of the Flemish province of West Flanders.
The municipality comprises apart from Koksijde, the villages of O ...
at its town
Oostduinkerke
Oostduinkerke (; french: Ostdunkerque ; vls, Ôostduunkerke) is a place in the Belgian province of West Flanders, where it is located on the southern west coast of Belgium.
Once a municipality of its own, Oostduinkerke now is a sub-municipali ...
and
Middelkerke
Middelkerke () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders, on the North Sea, west of Ostend. The municipality comprises the villages of Leffinge, Lombardsijde, Mannekensvere, Middelkerke proper, Schore, Sint-Pieters-Kapel ...
at its town
Lombardsijde
Lombardsijde, also Lombartzyde, is a district in the Belgian municipality of Middelkerke in West Flanders province, in northwestern Belgium near Nieuwpoort.
Fighting occurred in and around Lombardsijde during World War I
World War I (28 ...
. Because the territory of the town of Ramskapelle expands far inland, Nieuwpoort has a large number of neighbouring towns, most of which are part of 2 large municipalities:
*a.
Lombardsijde
Lombardsijde, also Lombartzyde, is a district in the Belgian municipality of Middelkerke in West Flanders province, in northwestern Belgium near Nieuwpoort.
Fighting occurred in and around Lombardsijde during World War I
World War I (28 ...
(Middelkerke)
*b.
Westende
Westende is a town in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and in the Flemish province of West Flanders. It lies on the Belgian coast, also called the Flemish coast. It used to be the far west (West-ende: Dutch for west-end) of the islan ...
(Middelkerke)
*c.
Slijpe (Middelkerke)
*d.
Mannekensvere
Mannekensvere is a small rural village in Belgium, located in the Polder region. Mannekensvere is a part (" deelgemeente") of the seaside municipality of Middelkerke. The village is located along the Yser
The Yser ( , ; nl, IJzer ) is a river ...
(Middelkerke)
*e.
Schore (Middelkerke)
*f.
Pervijze
Pervijze (french: Pervyse, English ''Pervyse'') is a small rural village in the Belgian province of West Flanders, and a part ("Deelgemeente") of the municipality of Diksmuide. Pervijze has an area of 12.23 km² and almost 900 inhabitants.
Be ...
(Diksmuide)
*g.
Veurne
Veurne (; french: Furnes, italic=no, ) is a city and municipality in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the town of Veurne proper and the settlements of , , , , , Houtem, , , Wulveringem, and .
History
Origins up ...
*h.
Booitshoeke
Veurne (; french: Furnes, italic=no, ) is a city and municipality in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the town of Veurne proper and the settlements of , , , , , Houtem, , , Wulveringem, and .
History
Origins ...
(Veurne)
*i.
Wulpen (Koksijde)
*j.
Oostduinkerke
Oostduinkerke (; french: Ostdunkerque ; vls, Ôostduunkerke) is a place in the Belgian province of West Flanders, where it is located on the southern west coast of Belgium.
Once a municipality of its own, Oostduinkerke now is a sub-municipali ...
(Koksijde)
File:Nieuwpoort Marina.jpg, A view of Nieuwpoort marina from the south side with boats
Image:Nieuwpoort-pier.jpg, A view of the beach and the pier at Nieuwpoort
File:Mouth of the Yser, at Nieuwpoort, Belgium.jpg, Nieuwpoort taken from the air
File:Nieuwpoort - Hendrik-Geeraertplein.jpg, Hendrik-Geeraertplein square
Image:N.58, Pascin - Nieuwpoort.jpg, Fishing ship from Nieuwpoort
In literature
Part of the plot in
Cecelia Holland
Cecelia Holland (born December 31, 1943) is an American historical fiction novelist.
Early life and education
Holland was born December 31, 1943, in Henderson, Nevada. She grew up in Metuchen, New Jersey, where she started writing at age 12, rec ...
's historical novel ''The Sea Beggars'' is laid in Nieuwpoort, in the preliminary states of the
Eighty Years' War
The Eighty Years' War or Dutch Revolt ( nl, Nederlandse Opstand) ( c.1566/1568–1648) was an armed conflict in the Habsburg Netherlands between disparate groups of rebels and the Spanish government. The causes of the war included the Refo ...
- with the sailor protagonists feeling oppressed under the harsh Spanish rule and eventually joining the rebellious
Watergeuzen
Geuzen (; ; french: Les Gueux) was a name assumed by the confederacy of Calvinist Dutch nobles, who from 1566 opposed Spanish rule in the Netherlands. The most successful group of them operated at sea, and so were called Watergeuzen (; ; frenc ...
.
See also
*
Operation Hush
Operation Hush was a British plan to make amphibious landings on the Belgian coast in 1917 during the First World War, supported by an attack from Nieuwpoort and the Yser bridgehead, positions which were a legacy of the Battle of the Yser in ...
References
External links
* - Mainly in
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
, some info available in French and English
Startpage of Nieuwpoort - Alle site's binnen Nieuwpoort
Illustrated Article on Nieupoort & the Yser Front during WW1 at 'Battlefields Europe'
{{Authority control
Municipalities of West Flanders
Port cities and towns in Belgium
Port cities and towns of the North Sea
Seaside resorts in Belgium