Discover Biervliet: Fortification History and Culture

Biervliet can be explored through several specific themes: fortification history, historic buildings, memorial sites and trails. If you are interested in local history, the story ranges from a pentagonal earthwork to a 1:300 scale model, a church, a museum and a memorial plaque. There is also a family trail, walking and riding trails, and seasonal guided town tours. When planning your trip, you can consider the historical, scenic and time-specific offerings as distinct focal points.

Fortification, Model and Building History

The former Biervliet fortress was a pentagonal earthwork with a bastion at each corner. An interactive model at the Trefpunt shows Biervliet’s built-up area on a scale of 1:300. It depicts the medieval town fortifications, the 17th-century fort and the homes of local tradespeople around 1940. The model thus offers different historical perspectives on fortifications and development.

De Oude Raedthuys was built as a town hall in 1806. De Harmonie is a round, stone windmill with an earthen mound. It was originally built as a smock mill in 1842 and fitted out as an oil mill. Extensive restorations in 1985/86 were followed by further work in 2023/24; the mill is no longer operated professionally. De Harmonie therefore offers a chance to consider its architectural form, former use and later restoration as distinct stages in its history.

Church and Remembrance

The Nederlands Hervormde Kerk is Biervliet’s oldest building and was completed in 1659/60. The church contains three restored stained-glass windows designed and made by Middelburg glass painter Cornelis van Barlaer. The Biervliet window depicts Willem Beukelsz., who is credited with inventing the process of gutting and brining herring. In Biervliet’s market square stands a statue in honor of Willem Beukelszoon, described as Biervliet’s best-known resident and the inventor of the process of gutting and brining herring.

The Scheldeslag Museum Biervliet has a permanent exhibition on the history of Zeeuws-Vlaanderen during the Second World War. A bronze plaque at the Korenbeurs lists the names of 42 victims of wartime hostilities in 1940 and 1944. The exhibition covers regional history, while the plaque records names and two years. Check the current opening hours before visiting the museum.

Nature and Trails

You can explore Biervliet via the Zeeuws-Vlaanderen family trail; a paved section can be shortened to 0.8 kilometers. Near Biervliet is Poortbos, a 5.5-hectare wooded area with planted fruit trees, ponds, and walking and riding trails. The two offerings have different focuses: the family trail is a way to explore Biervliet, while Poortbos offers a distinct landscape of woodland, water and trails.

Guided Tours and Festival Dates

During the summer months of July and August, the Stichting Behoud Monumenten Biervliet holds historical guided tours of Biervliet every Tuesday afternoon. They start at 14:00 at the Trefpunt and last about an hour and a half. As this is a seasonal offering, check the current schedule before your trip. You can set aside the approximate duration as a separate block of time in your afternoon plans.

The Geuzenfeest is celebrated annually in Biervliet as a tradition. Every five years, a lustrum celebration featuring historical scenes is held; specific dates vary. So if you want to include the festival in your travel plans, check the dates for the relevant year. The guided tours take place on a summer weekday, while the Geuzenfeest has its own festival date, which varies.

Discover more destinations: Sluiskil, Koewacht, Westdorpe, Axel, Sas Van Gent, Terneuzen, Philippine, Zaamslag.

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