Middelburg, Wolphaartsdijk and Nieuw- en Sint Joostland

Statues of the goddess Nehalennia have been found in the Oosterschelde, which indicates that Zeeland was already inhabited before Roman times. Since time immemorial, people in Zeeland have fought against the water. Land was taken from the water and the sea reclaimed pieces. Gradually, the province was formed as it stands today: a small-scale alternation of polders and dikes. Until the end of the sixteenth century, Middelburg was the largest trading city in the Northern Netherlands. For a long time, the capital of Zeeland was in the top five of the largest cities in our country and was even the second largest port city after Amsterdam. Middelburg was therefore more important than the other four VOC cities (Delft, Enkhuizen, Hoorn and Rotterdam) put together. The rich history has left its traces in the city in the form of many beautiful monuments. Once, Middelburg was only trumped by Amsterdam when it came to the number of historic buildings. Several hundred monuments were lost during the Second World War, but more than 1100 monuments still remain in the city. Some of the beautiful buildings are the Abbey of Middelburg, the Nieuwe Kerk and the Koorkerk, which has become the symbol of the Zeeland capital for many. When you get back to the starting point of the bike tour, don't forget to stop at Profile van den Driest. The bicycle specialist will be happy to check your bicycle for defects and carry out the necessary maintenance. On presentation of the bicycle discount pass, you will receive a 10 euro discount on service and repairs at this Profile location.