Zierikzee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Zierikzee
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City
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View over Zierikzee
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The town centre (dark green) and the statistical district (light green) of Zierikzee in the municipality of Schouwen-Duiveland.
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| Country | Netherlands | ||
| Province | Zeeland | ||
| Municipality | Schouwen-Duiveland | ||
| Population
(5-1-2020)
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| • Total | 11,460 | ||
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) | ||
| Postal code |
4301
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| 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.
Contents
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
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The channel that connects Zierikzee to Oosterschelde is mainly used by tourist boats.
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View of Zierikzee (1618), by Esaias van der Velde
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1649 map of Zierikzee (Zirizea) in Willem and Joan Blaeu's "Toonneel der Steden"
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The tower (Sint-Lievensmonstertoren) of Zierikzee was planned to be twice as high as it was eventually built.
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The Zuidhavenpoort and the Noordhavenpoort.
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looking south along the Nieuwe Haven, Zierikzee
See also
In Spanish: Zierikzee para niños
