Hulst

Hulst
City and Municipality

Basilica of Hulst in 2006

Flag
Coat of arms
Coordinates: 51°17′N 4°3′E / 51.283°N 4.050°E / 51.283; 4.050Coordinates: 51°17′N 4°3′E / 51.283°N 4.050°E / 51.283; 4.050
Country Netherlands
Province Zeeland
Government[1]
 • Body Municipal council
 • Mayor Jan-Frans Mulder (CDA)
Area[2]
 • Total 251.82 km2 (97.23 sq mi)
 • Land 201.44 km2 (77.78 sq mi)
 • Water 50.38 km2 (19.45 sq mi)
Elevation[3] 3 m (10 ft)
Population (February 2017)[4]
 • Total 27,370
 • Density 136/km2 (350/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Hulstenaar
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postcode 4560–4569, 4580–4589
Area code 0114
Website www.gemeentehulst.nl

Hulst (Dutch pronunciation: [ɦɵlst]) is a municipality and city in southwestern Netherlands in the east of Zeelandic Flanders.

History

Map of the star fort

Hulst received city rights in the 12th century.

Hulst was captured from the Spanish in 1591 by Maurice of Orange but was recaptured by Archduke Albert in 1596.

In 1645, the Siege of Hulst (to control the left bank of the Schelde river) occurred. It was led by Prince of Orange Frederick Henry, during the Eighty Years' War (1568–1648) with Spain.

A further siege took place in 1702, where General Menno van Coehoorn defended the town successfully for the Dutch and in 1747 when it was taken by the French after incompetent defence by Lt General Pieter de la Rocque.[5]

In the seventeenth century, a star fort was constructed.[6] The fortifications, constructed during that time, are historic examples of Dutch fortress architecture.

The name Hulst (Holly in English) would appear to come from the shape of the battlements. Holly is depicted growing around the towns crest.

Geography

Dutch Topographic map of the municipality of Hulst, June 2015

Hulst is located at 51°17′N 4°3′E / 51.283°N 4.050°E / 51.283; 4.050 in the south of the province of Zeeland in the southwest of the Netherlands. It is situated in the east of the region Zeelandic Flanders, which is connected by land only to Belgium, on the Dutch-Belgian border.

Hulst is neighbouring the municipalities of Terneuzen in the west, Stekene (Belgium) and Sint-Gillis-Waas (B) in the south, Beveren (B) in the east, and Reimerswaal in the north. The river Western Scheldt separates the land of Reimerswaal and Hulst.

The Drowned Land of Saeftinghe (Verdronken land van Saeftinghe) is a natural reserve in the north of the municipality. Its name refers to the Saeftinghe legend.

The population centers in the municipality are:

Government

The mayor of Hulst is Jan-Frans Mulder of the Christian Democratic Appeal.

International relations

Hulst is twinned with Michelstadt, Germany.

References

  1. ↑ "College van burgemeester en wethouders" [Board of mayor and aldermen] (in Dutch). Gemeente Hulst. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  2. ↑ "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten" [Key figures for neighbourhoods]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 2 July 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  3. ↑ "Postcodetool for 4561EA". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  4. ↑ "Bevolkingsontwikkeling; regio per maand" [Population growth; regions per month]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 7 April 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
  5. ↑ "Further". Lowensteyn.com. Retrieved 2012-03-12.
  6. ↑ (in Dutch) Geschiedenis van Hulst. Hulst Vestingstad
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