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”