Nieuwpoort, Belgium
Encyclopedia
Nieuwpoort is a municipality
located in Flanders
, one of the three regions of Belgium
, and in the Flemish
province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Nieuwpoort proper and the towns of Ramskapelle
and Sint-Joris
. On January 1, 2008 Nieuwpoort had a total population of 11,062. The total area is 31.00 km² which gives a population density
of 350 inhabitants per km². The current mayor of Nieuwpoort is Rolland Crabbe (CD&V)
In Nieuwpoort, the Yser
flows into the North Sea
. It is also the home of a statue created by Jan Fabre
called Searching for Utopia
Philip of Flanders.
The Battle of Nieuwpoort
, between the Dutch and the Spanish, happened here in 1600. The city was a Dunkirker base.
The city was occupied by French forces for six years between 1757 and 1763, as part of the conditions of the Second Treaty of Versailles between France and Austria.
During the Battle of the Yser
, part of the First Battle of Ypres
in World War I
, Karel Cogge opened the sluice
gates on the mouth of the river Yser
twice to flood the lower lying land, thus halting the German advance.
s are part of the municipality, Sint-Joris
and Ramskapelle, Nieuwpoort.
Nieuwpoort is located by the sea. At the coastal line, it borders the municipalities Koksijde
at its town Oostduinkerke
and Middelkerke
at its town Lombardsijde
. Because the territory of the town of Ramskapelle expands far inland, Nieuwpoort has a large number of neighbouring towns, most of which are part of 2 large municipalities:
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
located in Flanders
Flemish Region
The Flemish Region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium—alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region. Colloquially, it is usually simply referred to as Flanders, of which it is the institutional iteration within the context of the Belgian political system...
, one of the three regions of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, and in the Flemish
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Nieuwpoort proper and the towns of Ramskapelle
Ramskapelle
Ramskapelle is a village in Knokke-Heist, a town in Belgium.Ramskapelle is also a village in Nieuwpoort, a town in Belgium.See also: West Flanders-External links:*...
and Sint-Joris
Sint-Joris
Sint-Joris is a village in the municipality of Beernem, in the province of West Flanders, Belgium....
. On January 1, 2008 Nieuwpoort had a total population of 11,062. The total area is 31.00 km² which gives a population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 350 inhabitants per km². The current mayor of Nieuwpoort is Rolland Crabbe (CD&V)
In Nieuwpoort, the Yser
Yser
The Yser is a river that finds its origin in the north of France, enters Belgium and flows into the North Sea at the town of Nieuwpoort.-In France:The source of the Yser is in Buysscheure, in the Nord département of northern France...
flows into the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
. It is also the home of a statue created by Jan Fabre
Jan Fabre
Jan Fabre is a Belgian multidisciplinary artist, playwright, stage director, choreographer and designer.He studied at the Municipal Institute of Decorative Arts and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp...
called Searching for Utopia
History
It obtained city rights in 1163 from CountCount of Flanders
The Count of Flanders was the ruler or sub-ruler of the county of Flanders from the 9th century until the abolition of the position by the French revolutionaries in 1790....
Philip of Flanders.
The Battle of Nieuwpoort
Battle of Nieuwpoort
The Battle of Nieuwpoort, between a Dutch army under Maurice of Nassau and Francis Vere and a Spanish army under Albert of Austria, took place on 2 July 1600 near the present-day Belgian city Nieuwpoort.-Campaign:...
, between the Dutch and the Spanish, happened here in 1600. The city was a Dunkirker base.
The city was occupied by French forces for six years between 1757 and 1763, as part of the conditions of the Second Treaty of Versailles between France and Austria.
During the Battle of the Yser
Battle of the Yser
The Battle of the Yser secured part of the coastline of Belgium for the allies in the "Race to the Sea" after the first three months of World War I.-Strategic Context:As part of the execution of the Schlieffen Plan, Belgium had been invaded by Germany...
, part of the First Battle of Ypres
First Battle of Ypres
The First Battle of Ypres, also called the First Battle of Flanders , was a First World War battle fought for the strategic town of Ypres in western Belgium...
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Karel Cogge opened the sluice
Sluice
A sluice is a water channel that is controlled at its head by a gate . For example, a millrace is a sluice that channels water toward a water mill...
gates on the mouth of the river Yser
Yser
The Yser is a river that finds its origin in the north of France, enters Belgium and flows into the North Sea at the town of Nieuwpoort.-In France:The source of the Yser is in Buysscheure, in the Nord département of northern France...
twice to flood the lower lying land, thus halting the German advance.
Towns
The old city centre of Nieuwpoort is located about three kilometers from the current coastline. Close to the sea, a new tourist centre has developed. Both parts form one contiguous built up area, connected by buildings along the Albert I Laan street and the fishing port. Besides Nieuwpoort proper, two small villages in the Flemish polderPolder
A polder is a low-lying tract of land enclosed by embankments known as dikes, that forms an artificial hydrological entity, meaning it has no connection with outside water other than through manually-operated devices...
s are part of the municipality, Sint-Joris
Sint-Joris
Sint-Joris is a village in the municipality of Beernem, in the province of West Flanders, Belgium....
and Ramskapelle, Nieuwpoort.
| # | Name | Area | Population 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Nieuwpoort | 10,18 | 9.437 |
| II | Sint-Joris Sint-Joris Sint-Joris is a village in the municipality of Beernem, in the province of West Flanders, Belgium.... |
5,54 | 259 |
| III | Ramskapelle Ramskapelle Ramskapelle is a village in Knokke-Heist, a town in Belgium.Ramskapelle is also a village in Nieuwpoort, a town in Belgium.See also: West Flanders-External links:*... |
15,28 | 555 |
Nieuwpoort is located by the sea. At the coastal line, it borders the municipalities Koksijde
Koksijde
Koksijde is a municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders on the North Sea coast, at the southwest side. It comprises the towns of Koksijde proper, Oostduinkerke, St-Idesbald and Wulpen.-Statistics:...
at its town Oostduinkerke
Oostduinkerke
Oostduinkerke is a popular seaside resort in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The name Oostduinkerke translates as 'East Dunkirk'. The town originally shared its name with the French city of Dunkirk; therefore, in the 13th century, 'Oost-' was added to its name to avoid confusion with its...
and Middelkerke
Middelkerke
Middelkerke is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders, on the North Sea, west of Ostend. The municipality comprises the towns of Leffinge, Lombardsijde, Mannekensvere, Middelkerke proper, Schore, Sint-Pieters-Kapelle, Slijpe, Westende and Wilskerke. On January 1, 2006...
at its town Lombardsijde
Lombardsijde
Lombardsijde, also Lombartzyde, is a region in the Belgian commune of Middelkerke in West Flanders province, in northwestern Belgium near Nieuwpoort.Fighting occurred in and around Lombardsijde during World War I.-References:...
. Because the territory of the town of Ramskapelle expands far inland, Nieuwpoort has a large number of neighbouring towns, most of which are part of 2 large municipalities:
|
|
Pervijze Pervijze is a small rural village in the Belgian province of West-Flanders, and a part of the municipality of Diksmuide. Pervijze has an area of 12.23 km² and almost 900 inhabitants... (Diksmuide) Veurne Veurne is a city and municipality in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the town of Veurne proper and the settlements of Avekapelle, Booitshoeke, Bulskamp, De Moeren, Eggewaartskapelle, Houtem, Steenkerke, Vinkem, Wulveringem, and Zoutenaaie.-Origins in the 15th... Wulpen * Wulpen , a village in Belgium, part of the municipality of Koksijde* Wulpen , a former island in the Netherlands... (Koksijde) Oostduinkerke Oostduinkerke is a popular seaside resort in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The name Oostduinkerke translates as 'East Dunkirk'. The town originally shared its name with the French city of Dunkirk; therefore, in the 13th century, 'Oost-' was added to its name to avoid confusion with its... (Koksijde) |
Map
External links
- Official website - Mainly in DutchDutch languageDutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
, some info available in French and English - Startpage of Nieuwpoort - Alle site's binnen Nieuwpoort
- Illustrated Article on Nieupoort & the Yser Front during WW1 at 'Battlefields Europe'