2000 years

“Brugge &

the Sea”

The Zwin• Area between the Northsea and

Brugge, alternate sea and land• Gradually nature created a

permanent channel of 10 km between the coast and the city

About the year 1000• Small natural rivers

were deepened, widened, fortified and equipped with dams and locks to control the water flow

13th century• Building of the large port

of Damme, ± 5 km north of Brugge

• Digging of a smaller canal towards the halls on the Market Square in Brugge

• International trade of goods: wool, cloth, wine, luxury products…

• Flanders became one of the richest areas in Europe

15th century• Stop of economic prosperity with the silting of

The Zwin region; the land became sandy and salty

• Harbour traffic moved to other ports e.g. Antwerpen

‘Bruges, la morte’

• The city faded away till the 19th century

Around 1860• Some politicians

and merchants realised that the building of an ‘open seaport ‘was the only way to regain economic welfare for Brugge and the environment

1907 : Zeebrugge = Brugge by the Sea

• King Leopold II inaugurated the new seaport of Zeebrugge

• Link to the inner port of Brugge by a straight canal of 10 km

World War I• Port of Zeebrugge was used by the German

army to launch U-boats• Almost completely destroyed by the Allies

World War II• Zeebrugge was used as part of

the German ‘Atlantic Wall’• Partly devastated

1950-1960• Trade with the UK;

start of the ‘ ferry ‘ lines e.g. Zeebrugge- Dover

1970• Worldwide oil

crisis

• Port of Zeebrugge is deepened to receive huge oil tankers

1985• The coastal port became a ‘deepsea port’• Start of the development of Zeebrugge as

one of the most important entry ports for the European market• Extensive outer port, sea locks,

breakwaters of 4km long, modern infrastructure in the inner port and the hinterland

Activities• Container terminals• Gas and oil terminal• Cruises• Biggest car port in the

world• RORO traffic = roll-on

roll-off• …

Ecological aspect?• A great concern about nature e.g. ‘ tern island’

artificially created as breeding spot for birds• 2 windfarms to generate green energy

Interview with a fish dealer• 2 pupils had an interview with the owner of a

fish company about : the harbour, today’s fish market,economic crisis, the past and the future…

• Unfortunately the man couldn’t speak English so we have a Dutch text only

Click on this picture in presentation modus to watch the movie “Hundred years People & Sea”