Zeeland (NL) - Teil 7 - Zoutelande

Zoutelande is a really pretty coastal town on the Zeeland Riviera. The up to 54 m high dunes are special here - the highest in the Netherlands. There is a nice shopping street, inviting hotels and restaurants. The place looks very well-kept and everyone will find their spot on the 5 km long sandy beach.

Directly between the dunes and the Catharinakerk is the Willibrordusput - a miracle spring. Willibrord was from England and came to the Netherlands around 690 to proclaim Christianity. In the area around Zoutelande, whose place names still contain the word zout (= salty), drinking water was scarce. Willibrord is said to have created a spring with drinking water, which makes him credited with being the founder of the town. The Willibrordusput not only provided drinking water, it was also said to have healing powers.

I'm always a bit ambivalent about relics from the 2nd World War, but the Bunker Museum is worth seeing and impressive. Actually there are 2 bunkers - a crew bunker and an artillery observation post on the dune. The Germans built it or had it built as part of the Atlantic Wall. The walls are up to 2 m thick and you can visit the interior.