Place:Oude Bildtzijl, Het Bildt, Friesland, Netherlands

General Info

Oudebildtzijl (West Frisian: Aldebiltsyl; Bildts: Ouwe-Syl) is a village in Waadhoeke municipality in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. It had a population of around 690 in January 2017.

History The village was first mentioned after 1570 as niuwe zijl, and means "sluice in the old Bildt. It refers to a sluice from 1505. In 1600, the Nieuwe Bildtdijk was constructed and oude (old) was added to distinguish from Nieuwebildtzijl [nl].[5] In 1504, a deal was struck between George, Duke of Saxony and four noblemen from Holland to polder the Middelzee. In 1505, a dike (Oude Bildtdijk) was constructed.[6] The sluice was renewed in 1906.

In 1806, a Mennonite Church was built in Oudebildtzijl. In 1909, the church was enlarged and a clergy house with tower was added to the front. The Juliana tower is in neoclassic style with an open pavillion.[7] The church was decommissioned in 1997, and nowadays serves as visitor centre for the nature area Aerden Plaats.

Oudebildtzijl was home to 604 people in 1840. In 1948, it became a village.

Links and Sources

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