Axel (Axel)
The city was first between 987 and 994 as Axla. The etymology is unclear. Axel was located on the former creek Axelse Gat which had its mouth in the former Braakman inlet. A church was built around 1100, and a castle around 1200. It was a gateway to Ghent, and received city rights in 1213. The city was plundered around 1380 and in 1452 by Ghent. The All Saints' Flood of 1570 resulted in Axel finding itself on an island.
Axel was conquered by Maurice, Prince of Orange in 1586 and was fortified. In 1601, eight bastions and one ravelin were constructed around the city. Axel was a strategically important place, because it controlled access to Antwerp and Ghent which were in Spanish hands. In 1789, Axel was reattached to the mainland. The fortifications were removed in 1816. In 1851, Axel lost its harbour.
The Catholic St Gregorius the Great Church is a single-aisled church in Gothic Revival style which was built between 1862 and 1863. The grist mill Stadsmolen (lit: City wind mill) was built in 1750. In 1911, it was reduced to a rump and a motor was installed. In 1995, it was bought by the municipality and restored between 1998 and 1999. It is in service on most Saturdays and grinds grain.
Axel was home to 1,226 people in 1840. In 1871, a railway station opened on the Mechelen to Terneuzen railway line. The line closed in 1951. The building was demolished in 1968.
In September 1944, Axel the scene of fighting and destruction during the Battle of the Scheldt. On 19 September, Axel was liberated by Polish forces.
Axel was an independent municipality until 2003 when it was merged into Terneuzen.
Map - Axel (Axel)
Map
Country - Netherlands
The four largest cities in the Netherlands are Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht. Amsterdam is the country's most populous city and the nominal capital. The Hague holds the seat of the States General, Cabinet and Supreme Court. The Port of Rotterdam is the busiest seaport in Europe. Schiphol is the busiest airport in the Netherlands, and the third busiest in Europe. The Netherlands is a founding member of the European Union, Eurozone, G10, NATO, OECD, and WTO, as well as a part of the Schengen Area and the trilateral Benelux Union. It hosts several intergovernmental organisations and international courts, many of which are centred in The Hague.
Currency / Language
ISO | Currency | Symbol | Significant figures |
---|---|---|---|
EUR | Euro | € | 2 |
ISO | Language |
---|---|
NL | Dutch language |
FY | West Frisian language |