Attractions and Places To See around Sint-Niklaas - Top 20

The smuggling trade thrived in De Klinge and its surroundings. This illegal cross-border trade went in both directions, with all sorts of products being smuggled to the Netherlands or Belgium. In the spring of 1915, the Germans attempted to put a stop to smuggling by constructing the "dodendraad" (death wire). An electric wire under high voltage was intended to deter smugglers. The high voltage on the "Dodendraad" meant that people were electrocuted upon the slightest contact. The inhabitants were not yet aware of the dangers of electricity during this period. For this reason, protective wires were placed on either side, made of barbed wire or chicken wire. The German occupiers wanted to prevent war volunteers, espionage messages, or smugglers from crossing the border with the border barrier. Inventive smugglers quickly found numerous ways to overcome the wire, yet hundreds of daredevils lost their lives during their crossing along the Belgian-Dutch border. At least three victims fell in De Klinge and Meerdonk. After the Second World War, the eternal cat-and-mouse game between customs officers and smugglers became grimmer. Butter smuggling became a lucrative business, and armored cars, "kraaienpoten" (crow's feet), and firearms made their appearance. The "kraaienpoot" was made of metal and had four points. There was always one sharp point facing upwards, intended to puncture the tires of customs service vehicles. Here, at the "Dodendraadmonument", lies an enlarged "kraaienpoot". The "dodendraad" was constructed in the summer of 1915; in November 2015, a section was reconstructed at the border post. On the site, in 2015, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the installation of the "dodendraad", a linden tree was planted, donated by the Koninklijke Oudheidkundige Kring van het Land van Waas. source: tracesofwar.nl

On Friday, April 5, 1867, the Spletterenbrug was officially opened. Between Moerbeke and Lokeren, trains stopped in Daknam and Eksaarde. In Moerbeke, travelers could transfer to railway line 77 towards Zelzate or towards Sint-Gillis-Waas. That the intention was to one day double the 9-kilometer railway line to two tracks is still visible on the Spletterenbrug. Both bridge abutments are indeed twice as wide as the bridge deck itself. It never came to that. On the contrary. The railway line suffered during both world wars, causing traffic to be suspended for months. For example, retreating German soldiers blew up the bridge at the end of World War I. Less than a year after the armistice, in September 1919, the line was already restored and trains could run on the route again. In 1940, the Belgian army, in turn, tried to slow down the German advance by destroying the bridge. The bridge was repaired again. In 1971, the last train chugged along the route. After more than a century of train traffic, the tracks were dismantled and the route was redeveloped as a cycling and walking path from Lokeren to Moerbeke. The Spletterenbrug itself was preserved and restored in 2017. The seven layers of paint were removed, and the bridge regained its original, dark gray color. Source: industriecultuur.be

Wissekerke Castle...

Come down from your attic and walk through the polder...

Beautiful and quiet forest (if in high season). The hiking trails are almost in order, sometimes it can be a bit muddy during heavy rain. If you are lucky you might spot some deer 😊

Very scenic, with great little villages in the background for variety for the eye.

The old railway bridge over the Moervaart is a robust and distinctive structure that gives a nostalgic image of times gone by. The bridge forms a transition above the calm water and offers walkers and cyclists a special passage.

history (you learn something from the past)