Hoofdplaat is a village in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is located on the Westerschelde, about 7 km east of Breskens, in the municipality of Sluis.

Hoofdplaat
Village
Hoofdplaat main street
Hoofdplaat main street
Coat of arms of Hoofdplaat
Hoofdplaat is located in Zeeland
Hoofdplaat
Hoofdplaat
Location in the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands
Hoofdplaat is located in Netherlands
Hoofdplaat
Hoofdplaat
Hoofdplaat (Netherlands)
Coordinates: 51°22′10″N 3°39′43″E / 51.36944°N 3.66194°E / 51.36944; 3.66194
CountryNetherlands
ProvinceZeeland
MunicipalitySluis
Area
 • Total
13.27 km2 (5.12 sq mi)
Elevation1.8 m (5.9 ft)
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Total
630
 • Density47/km2 (120/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
4513[1]
Dialing code0117

History

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The village was first mentioned in 1665 as Hooge Plaet, and is named after a sand bank near the village.[3] The area had been inhabited before. The village of Gaternesse was known to exist around 1000. The village was flooded in 1408, and in 1664, the ruins of the church were still visible.[4]

Hoofdplaat is a road intersection village which developed after the Hoofdplaatpolder was poldered between 1775 and 1778. A harbour was built in 1808, but was filled up in 1969 as part of the Delta Works.[5]

The Dutch Reformed church is modest square church with ridge turret which was built between 1783 and 1785. It was damaged during World War II, and restored between 1947 and 1949.[5] The Catholic St Eligius Church was built in 1861 as a replacement of a 1795 church. It was damaged by war both in 1940 and 1944. The church was restored in 1989, but decommissioned in 2012. In 2019, it was converted to an apartment building.[4][5] The former town hall was built in 1913 with Jugendstil influences and has a little built-in tower.[5]

Hoofdplaat was home to 1,031 people in 1840. On 10 October 1944, Hoofdplaats was liberated by Canadian troops as the first village in West Zeelandic Flanders to be liberated.[6] Hoofdplaat was a separate municipality until 1970.[7] In 2003, it became part of the municipality of Sluis.[4]

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2021". Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 21 April 2022. two entries
  2. ^ "Postcodetool for 4513AA". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. 24 July 2019. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  3. ^ "Hoofdplaat - (geografische naam)". Etymologiebank (in Dutch). Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "Hoofdplaat". Plaatsengids (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 4 June 2024. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d Piet van Cruyningen & Ronald Stenvert (2003). Hoofdplaat (in Dutch). Zwolle: Waanders. ISBN 90-400-8830-6. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  6. ^ "Hoofdplaat dankbaar voor herwonnen vrijheid". Provinciale Zeeuwse Courant (in Dutch). Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  7. ^ Ad van der Meer and Onno Boonstra, "Repertorium van Nederlandse gemeenten", KNAW, 2006. "KNAW > Publicaties > Detailpagina". Archived from the original on 2007-02-20. Retrieved 2009-12-03.