Moerdijk’s history can be discovered in a range of very different places: in fortifications, in museums about flax and sugar, and on routes through polders and countryside. The contrast between the military structures in Willemstad and the everyday stories preserved in collections in Klundert and Zevenbergen is particularly striking. On foot, by bike or during a museum visit, you’ll encounter different sides of the municipality.
Forts and town history
In Willemstad, canals and ramparts form an impressive hexagon with five bastions; the fortifications were built at the behest of Willem van Oranje. You can walk all the way around the star-shaped fortress along the old ramparts. A stroll through the town takes you along the Volkerak, the Zwanenmeer, the monumental Mauritshuis, the Heilige Maagd Mariakerk and the Koepelkerk, then outside the ramparts along the Singel. The Mauritshuis tourist information centre provides visitor information for Willemstad and the entire municipality of Moerdijk.
The forts also tell the story of the area’s military history. Fort de Hel was built in 1809 during the French period as part of the Zuiderwaterlinie and defended Willemstad and the Hollands Diep. Visitors can explore the site freely, view exhibitions and use the terraces; treasure hunts and small cultural activities are also on offer. Check which activities are currently available before your visit.
Fort Sabina was built in 1811 on Napoleon’s orders. Surviving structures include a Tour modèle, a powder house, casemates and a double caponier. The twelve-hectare site is freely accessible during opening hours. Twenty different bird species live here, including barn owls, kingfishers and common redstarts. There are also bats, flowers and numerous insects. The fortifications can therefore be viewed alongside the site’s diverse animal and plant life.
Flax, sugar and local memories
The Nationaal Vlasserij-Suikermuseum in Klundert explores the history of flax, sugar beet and sugar factories. Restored machinery illustrates the traditional processing of flax; historical objects and displays also show how sugar was produced. The museum is accessible to wheelchair users and has two wheelchairs and an accessible toilet.
In Zevenbergen, Museum Zevenbergen showcases life in the former sugar town, with a small shop, traditional crafts and household items in an eighteenth-century farmhouse. Guided tours are available for groups of up to 30 people; talks about the castle, town wall, lords of Zevenbergen, local sugar industry and harbour are available on request. Coffee, tea and a Zevenbergse slof in the style of 1900 can be offered during tours and talks. Check the current options in advance if you’re planning a visit or guided tour.
In Standdaarbuiten, the stone grain mill Persephone houses an information centre about swifts. In Heijningen, the wooden Swedish emergency flood house commemorates the flood disaster: in 1953, the Swedish people donated the house to replace homes destroyed in the flood. The Watersnoodfietsroute runs through the entire area of the municipality affected by the disaster, passes several memorial plaques and provides information about what happened.
Walking and cycling routes
The Kuieren door Klundert route leads to special places along 22 route signs, bringing the town’s history to life along the way. It is suitable for people with reduced mobility as well as wheelchair and mobility scooter users, and can be shortened. Guided walking tours of Klundert also explain the origins of the fortified town, its ramparts, street layout, monuments and old town hall; tour availability may change.
The guided Stadswandeling Zevenbergen follows the course of the former harbour. Along the way are preserved granaries, a former brewery, canal houses with stepped gables and distinctive architecture from the Second World War. Another way to discover places in the municipality along a route is the ANWB Stelling van Willemstad cycling route, which starts and finishes at Lantaarndijk 4 in Willemstad. Its listed stops include Klundert and Fort Sabina in Heijningen.
The Oude-Appelaarse-Polderroute also combines a cycle through the polder landscape with stops at regional farm shops along the Tonnekreek, the harbours and the Keenesluis. Five farm shops take part. There you can buy fresh apples or rolls and pick your own produce. Opening hours may vary by season.
Landscape and practical information
De Appelzak is a small nature area with woodland, diverse flora and a beach. It is open year-round; check the access information on site before planning your visit. For a different perspective on the polder landscape, try the cycling route, whose farm shops and stretches of countryside bring together regional products and a variety of stops.
In Fijnaart, Oude Molen sells flour as well as bread and cake mixes. For travel by water, the Anna and Waterpoort ferries operate to and from Willemstad; the Lucretia ferry runs from Strijensas to the village of Moerdijk. Timetables may change, so check the connections before you travel. Waterpoort Rondvaarten offers a seasonal boat service from Willemstad to Steenbergen, taking visitors to Fort Sabina and Benedensas. Bikes can be taken on this route; check the current sailing times in advance.
Discover more destinations: Zevenbergen, Moerdijk, Klundert, Willemstad, Standdaarbuiten, Langeweg, Fijnaart, Oudemolen.
Go to the main travel overview: North Brabant.
