Fietsroute Helden van West Zeeuws-Vlaanderen

Sometimes heroism arises by chance, and this was certainly true for Jantje van Sluis. After Prince Maurice conquered Sluis from the Spaniards in 1604, they tried to regain the city in 1606. Their strategy consisted of a diversionary maneuver south of the city while the real attack was planned at the East Gate once the church bell rang. That same day, Jantje van Sluis had visited the fair and had a little too much to drink. Since he was unable to wind the clock himself, he left the task to his son and nephew. Inexperienced as they were, they wound the mechanism too tightly, causing the bell not to ring. The Spaniards, assuming their plan had been betrayed, abandoned the attack. Thus Jantje van Sluis unintentionally became the savior of the city. Today his statue stands in the Belfry of Sluis where he rings the bell every quarter of an hour. Another notable landmark in Zeeland Flanders is the water tower of Oostburg. At 55 meters tall, it can be seen almost everywhere in the surroundings. The white tower is painted by artist Johnny Beerens, who painted huge water droplets that look so realistic they could roll down at any moment. Although the tower no longer contains water, it remains a striking point in the landscape. Nowadays it serves as living space and is a popular subject for photographers and art lovers. Aardenburg also faced a Spanish trick. The enemy tried to enter the city disguised as farmers with wagons full of gunpowder. The plan was to cause explosions at the gates and thus break open the city. Fortunately, one of the disguised Spaniards was captured in time and the plan was seen through. The people of Aardenburg immediately intervened and fired their cannons at the wagons, thwarting the attack. Today, parts of the old city walls can still be seen in Aardenburg as a reminder of this turbulent period in history.