Zierikzee

Zierikzee
City
Flag Coat of arms
The town centre (dark green) and the statistical district (light green) of Zierikzee in the municipality of Schouwen-Duiveland.
Coordinates: 51°38′59″N 3°54′59″E / 51.64972°N 3.91639°ECoordinates: 51°38′59″N 3°54′59″E / 51.64972°N 3.91639°E
Country	Netherlands
Province	Zeeland
Municipality	Schouwen-Duiveland
Population (5-1-2009)
• Total	10,483
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	4301
Dialing code	0111

Zierikzee (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈzi.rɪk.ˌseː]) is a small city, located on the former island of Schouwen in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is a part of the municipality of Schouwen-Duiveland, and lies about 26 km southwest of Hellevoetsluis.

Zierikzee received city rights in 1248 and was an independent municipality until 1997. The city is connected to the Oosterschelde by a 2 km long canal.

In 2001, the town of Zierikzee had 10,313 inhabitants. The built-up area of the town was 3.0 km², and contained 4,295 residences.^[1] The statistical area "Zierikzee", which also can include the surrounding countryside, has a population of around 10,730.^[2]

In 1953, Zierikzee was damaged by the catastrophic North Sea flood of 1953. The English town of Hatfield sent help and a friendship has developed. The two towns have been twinned. There was a sea battle in 1304.

In 2015, the last surviving example of the city's defensive cannons; cast in 1552, was donated to the city by the British coastguard. The coastguard had recovered it from a commercial diver, during a criminal investigation. The diver had found it off the Kent coast.^[3]

The channel that connects Zierikzee is mainly used by tourist boats. The one on the image is an old ship refurbished to make day trips on the Oosterschelde

View of Zierikzee (1618), by Esaias van der Velde

1649 map of Zierikzee (Zirizea) in Willem and Joan Blaeu's "Toonneel der Steden"

The tower (Sint-Lievensmonstertoren) of Zierikzee was planned to be twice as high as it was eventually built.

View over Zierikzee.

References

1. Statistics Netherlands (CBS), Bevolkingskernen in Nederland 2001. (Statistics are for the continuous built-up area).
2. Statistics Netherlands (CBS), Statline: Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2003-2005. As of 1 January 2005.
3. "Historic cannon returned to its Dutch home". Maritime and Coastguard Agency. 9 December 2015. Retrieved 9 December 2015.