Floods past and present: tours and walks

Open Monumentendag Museumkerk Wintam in collaboration with the Natuurgidsen Klein-Brabant Sunday, September 13 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Due to the increasingly strong tidal action, the areas along the Scheldt and Rupel flooded more and more often from the 12th century onwards. Measures were taken by building dikes, but that could not always help. De Sint-Margaretha Church in Wintam, now in use as Museumkerk Wintam, symbolizes this flooding problem. Due to the flood of 1825, which put the polders in Klein-Brabant under water, the measure was full in the lower-lying Nattenhaasdonk and it was decided to build a new church on the higher-lying ridge of Wintam. The new information panels in Museumkerk Wintam about floods, which were realized by the Schelde Delta UNESCO Global Geopark, are central during the Open Monumentendag. Throughout the day, there are explanations and guided tours in Museumkerk Wintam that are dedicated to the regional landscape and floods throughout time and how we are (going to) arm ourselves against floods with the Sigma Plan. In addition, there are guided walks from Museumkerk Wintam, led by Geogidsen Klein-Brabant-Rupelstreek, which are dedicated to floods. The expo ’Ceramics from Scheldeland’ by Greet Boels shows ceramics made from clay in Museumkerk Wintam, originating from the Schelde Delta UNESCO Global Geopark. The museum carries the UNESCO Geopark label of the Schelde Delta and the activity fits into this. The activities in Museumkerk Wintam are continuously free to visit ATTENTION: The guided walks are also free, but pre-registration is mandatory. This can be done via the website of Natuurgidsen Klein-Brabant: https://natuurgidsen-klein-brabant.com/activiteiten/ There are a maximum of 20 places per walk. Program : 1) In and around Museumkerk Wintam: Continuous short guided tours in and around the museum church from 10:00 AM (no pre-registration required). Guide: Daniëlla De Cock * Our history translated into a contemporary work of art * Water safety: Sigma is so much more * Van Nationaal Park Schelde Vallei to Geopark Schelde Delta 2) Floods: friend and foe Departure at the church: Group 1: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Group 2: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Guide: Ilse Talboom Short walk (2 km) *Floods formed the structure of our landscape in the past. *Floods brought us clay and sand. *Floods for some a nightmare, for others a blessing. 3) In search of the drowned village of Nattenhaasdonk Departure at the church: 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM Guide: Karine Moerman Distance: 4 km * The village of Haexdonck, located on a sand ridge, consisted in the Middle Ages of a Knight's Court, church, cemetery, and a few farms. Dit Haexdonck was of strategic importance in the border area of Flanders with Brabant for the nearby Scheldt ferry to the town of Rupelmonde. * Soon the inhabitants were plagued by the rising water and it changed into ‘Natten’haasdonk. * This drowned village is unique in Flanders and was protected as an archaeological site in 2018. Together with the guide, you will go looking for the traces from the past.