Vlissingen is situated on the mouth of the Westeschelde river and the town is famous for it's seaside boulevards on the south. From here you can see and, almost, touch the ships, the smallest seagoing vessels end the largest container carriers, that are sailing from and to the ports of Vlissingen, Gent, and Antwerpen.
Vlissingen started in the year of 620 as a small village were only a few fisherman lived. In the year 1315 the village became a town. The town has a rich history of fishery, (slave)trading, shipbuilding and piracy, as you can see in the museums and the Arsenaal attraction park.
Throughout it's history Vlissingen has many times been under siege by wars and floods, which destroyed some of its historic buildings and places. Those that survived have been - and still are - restored with great love and skill.
Michiel Adriaenszoon de RuyterDe Ruyter (24 March 1607 - 29 April 1676) is the most legendary son of Vlissingen and was one of the most famous admirals in Dutch history. De Ruyter is most famous for his role in the fist three Anglo-Dutch Wars, in which he often fought his English rival, Admiral Robert Blake. He fought the English in these wars and scored several major victories, the most significant probably being the Raid on the Medway.
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