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Zierikzee facts for kids

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Zierikzee
City
View over Zierikzee
View over Zierikzee
Flag of Zierikzee
Flag
Coat of arms of Zierikzee
Coat of arms
LocatieSchouwen-Duiveland.png
The town centre (dark green) and the statistical district (light green) of Zierikzee in the municipality of Schouwen-Duiveland.
The town centre (dark green) and the statistical district (light green) of Zierikzee in the municipality of Schouwen-Duiveland.
Country Netherlands
Province Zeeland
Municipality Schouwen-Duiveland
Population
 (5-1-2020)
 • Total 11,460
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
4301
Dialing code 0111

Zierikzee (pronounced like ZEE-rik-zee) is a cool, small city in the southwest Netherlands. It's about 50 kilometers southwest of Rotterdam. This city is part of a bigger area called Schouwen-Duiveland in the Zeeland province. Zierikzee is the biggest city in Schouwen-Duiveland, and that's where the main government building (city hall) is located! It's also connected to the Oosterschelde (a large estuary) by a canal.

Back in 2001, about 10,313 people lived in Zierikzee. The main part of the town was about 3 square kilometers and had over 4,000 homes. Today, the area called "Zierikzee," which includes the countryside around it, has a population of around 11,460 people.

History of Zierikzee

Zierikzee has a long and interesting history! It was once located on an island called Schouwen. The city was given special "city rights" in the year 1248. This meant it could govern itself and had certain privileges.

Important Events in Zierikzee's Past

In 1304, a big naval battle happened near Zierikzee. A fleet of ships from France and the Netherlands worked together to defeat a Flemish fleet. This was a significant event in the city's early history.

Modern Times in Zierikzee

On April 30, 1917, during World War I, a British pilot accidentally dropped eight bombs on Zierikzee. This caused damage to several houses and sadly killed a family of three. The British government later apologized and paid for the damage and loss of life.

In 1953, Zierikzee was hit by a terrible event called the North Sea flood of 1953. This flood caused a lot of damage. The town of Hatfield, Hertfordshire in England sent help to Zierikzee, and because of this, the two towns became friends and are now "twinned." This means they have a special bond and often visit each other.

In 1997, the local government of Zierikzee joined with the larger area of Schouwen-Duiveland.

In 2015, something really cool happened! The very last surviving example of the city's old defensive cannons was returned to Zierikzee. This cannon was made way back in 1552! The British coastguard found it after a commercial diver discovered it off the coast of Kent.

More recently, on June 27, 2022, a tornado hit the city. It was a strong tornado, causing damage to three hundred properties. Sadly, one person died, and nine others were injured.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Zierikzee para niños

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