The village of Wemeldinge is both authentic and modern. It has an attractive main street and a lively marina. Because of its central location on the Oosterschelde, Wemeldinge is a tourist hotspot for scuba divers and water sports enthusiasts.
Vliedbergen
The village was originally built around three artificial hills, so-called ‘vliedbergen’. These hills were built in the 13th century to live on. Sometimes with a stronghold, to protect the people from enemy attacks. Near the church, you can see two of these hills. The church itself was built on one of them, and the other is nearby in a private garden. That is the highest vliedberg of Zeeland. It is 12 metres high. The third was levelled in the 19th century to raise the fields. What is special about Wemeldinge is that the church is in fact located outside of the village. After the great flood of 1134, the people moved close to the new dyke, which is presently Dorpsstraat. In the 19th century the village expanded in the direction of the canal, because that was where the jobs were. Interestingly, as a result, the oldest part of the village ultimately ended up on the outskirts.
Dorpsstraat
If you are ever in Wemeldinge, then make sure to walk through Dorpsstraat. This street is a conservation area. As this street used to be a dyke, it is higher than the rest of the village. The 148 lime trees in this street make for a unique picture. Some of the facades in the street show the buildings’ former function, such as the town hall and the Boerenleenbank (bank building). There are five places in Dorpsstraat from which narrow alleyways (slopjes) lead to the back roads. In these alleys, you will see that old bricks have been reused to build these houses. For the facades, on the other hand, new bricks were used. The alleyways are named after the people who used to live there. They are absolutely worth walking around in.
Mediterranean holiday atmosphere
In summertime, the Sluisplateau (plateau near the locks) is reminiscent of a holiday in the Mediterranean, because of the ships sailing by and the terraces. You can saunter pleasantly along the boulevard to the Oosterschelde river and the beaches: Wemeldinge’s natural swimming pool. From viewpoints ‘De Duikbril’ and ‘’t Schip’ you have a beautiful view over the water. The best time for spotting porpoises is when there is no wind and the water surface is smooth. That’s what we call porpoise weather. This is when you have a chance to get a glimpse of the world’s smallest whale! When the weather is very calm, you may even hear them snort when they come up to breathe.
Two mills
Near the port there are two mills: ‘Aeolus’ and ‘De Hoop’. These tower mills define the skyline of Wemeldinge. After an argument between the miller and his helper, these mills were built one after the other and near each other. Both mills are regularly in operation and they are open on most Saturdays. They are often illuminated by night.
