Zwin
| Zwin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Belgian–Dutch border |
| Nearest city | Knokke-Heist, Sluis |
| Coordinates | 51°21′50″N 3°21′12″E / 51.36389°N 3.35333°E |
| Area | 1.58 km2 (0.61 sq mi) |
| Established | 1952 |
| www | |
| Designated | 4 March 1986 |
| Reference no. | 328[1] |
The Zwin is a nature reserve at the North Sea coast, on the Belgian–Dutch border. It consists of the entrance area of a former tidal inlet which during the Middle Ages connected the North Sea with the ports of Sluis and Bruges inland.
The Zwin inlet was formed originally by a storm that broke through the Flemish coast in
The present-day nature reserve was founded in 1952. It has an area of 1.25 square kilometres in
In March 1986 it was declared a
Sea battles
The Battle of Damme was fought on 30 May and 31 May 1213. The success of the English raids ended the threat of a French invasion of England.
The Battle of Sluys was a sea battle fought on 24 June 1340 as one of the opening conflicts of the Hundred Years' War between England and France.
During the Eighty Years' War between the Dutch Republic and Spain, the Battle of Sluys on 26 May 1603 was a naval battle in which a Spanish squadron tried to break through a blockade of the Zwin by Dutch ships.
References
- ^ "Zwin". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
- ^ S2CID 131619959.
- ^ "The List of Wetlands of International Importance" (PDF). Ramsar Convention. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
External links
