Watervliet, Belgium

Watervliet is a village in the Belgian province of East Flanders and suburb of the town of Sint-Laureins. Watervliet is part of the Meetjesland,[1] and is adjacent to the Dutch border. It was a separate municipality until 1977.[2]

Watervliet
Village
The Our Lady-Church in Watervliet, built in the 16th century, is called the 'Cathedral of the North'
Watervliet
Location in Belgium
Coordinates: 51.27515°N 3.62543°E / 51.27515; 3.62543
Country Belgium
RegionFlemish Region
ProvinceEast Flanders
MunicipalitySint-Laureins
Time zoneCET

History

Watervliet started as a medieval village. In 1377, the village was lost in a flood. Around 1500, Hieronymus Lauweryn van Watervliet commissioned the poldering of the land, and rebuilt the village.[3] Even though Lauweryn was of common origins, he was awarded lordship of Watervliet by Philip the Handsome in 1507.[4][5]

In 1501, the Our Lady-Church was built, and was consecrated in 1503.[6] Watervliet was planned to become a major harbour, hence the large size of the church. The church is commonly referred to as the "Cathedral of the North".[7] In 1977, the municipality merged into Sint-Laureins.[2]

References
  1. "De mooiste plekjes doorheen het krekengebied". Meetjesland (in Dutch). Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  2. "Profielschets". Sint Laureins (in Dutch). Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  3. "Dorpskom Watervliet". Agentschap Onroerend Erfgoed (in Dutch). Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  4. Coutumes des pays et comté de Flandre: Quartier de Bruges Volume 5 Commission royale pour la publication des anciennes lois et ordonnances de la Belgique, Louis Gilliodts-Van Severen - 1892 "Maximilian... et Charles... A tous ceulx qui ces presentes lettres verront, salut. Comme au mois de novembre de l'an mil cincq cens et sept, messire Jeromme Lauweryn, chevalier, seigneur de Watervliet, lors vivant, et nostre conseillier "
  5. Opus epistolarum Desiderius Erasmus, Percy Stafford Allen, Helen Mary Allen Allen - 1992 "268, under the receipts from the ' domini intitulati ' in 1507, occurs the following entry : 'A nobilibus dominis ... Philip formed from this three lordships and presented them to Lauweryn, who took his title, Lord of Watervliet, .
  6. "Parochiekerk Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Hemelvaart en kerkhof". Agentschap Onroerend Erfgoed (in Dutch). Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  7. "Sint-Laureins in vogelvlucht – Watervliet". Zwinstreek (in Dutch). Retrieved 19 October 2020.
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