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Photo: via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
If by bicycle, best (and fastest) to be reached via the former railway bike path. Clinge/De Klinge is basically a village divided by the border into a Dutch (Clinge) and a Belgian (De Klinge) part. The village main street runs from north to south, abruptly changing countries with the border running in between houses. Next to the place where the former railway bike trail crosses the border, there is a replica of the Dodendraad (Wire of Death), a lethal electric fence erected by the German military to seal off the Dutch–Belgian border after the occupation of Belgium during the First World War. A bit further into Belgium (100 m) and next to De Klinge's disused railway station (there is an old steam engine on a stretch of track still remaining), there is a pub called 'De Oude Statie' ('The Old Station') where one can refresh with a delicious draught Bolleke Koninck, Antwerp's most famous beer. 1 km further west, on the main highway from Hulst into Belgium, there is a peculiar historic border marker standing on the roundabout: de Provinciale Grenspaal. It is much taller than the regular border markers and marks the boundaries between the provinces of Oost-Vlaanderen (East Flanders) and Zeeland. It is beautifully ornamented with golden inscriptions on each side stating the names of both provinces.
De Klinge is a Belgian town and part of the municipality of Sint-Gillis-Waas in the province of East Flanders (Oost-Vlaanderen), is located on the border with the Netherlands province of Zeeland and within the non-administrative region known as the Waasland or the Land van Waas. On the Dutch side of the border the town is called Clinge and is part of the municipality of Hulst. Sint-Niklaas is 10 kilometres south of De Klinge. The nearest large Belgian city is Antwerp (Antwerpen) to the east. The town is bordered by many forests, including the Stropersbos, which are excellent for cycling and walking.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
The main square, home to the city hall and the main church.
Ghent gate
The main entrance gate to the city, on the southern side. Gentsestraat (Ghent Street), leading from the Gentse Poort to the Grote Markt, is the city's main shopping street. Both the Gentse Poort and Gentsestraat refer to Ghent, which was the capital of Flanders, to which Hulst once belonged.
Saint-Willibrord Basilica
The city's main church. Was voted to be the most beautiful church in the Netherlands in 2009. It is a Catholic church with beautiful interior. The church tower spire is very peculiar, because the top was shot off during World War II by Polish liberators, as it was used by the German military as a lookout (apparently, the strategic view over Eastern Zeelandic Flanders was tremendous). They even painted Nazi graffiti texts and a swastika on the walls and the church bell, which supposedly are still visible today. After the war, a new spire was erected on top of the tower, in a very different style: while the church and most of the tower itself are in Gothic style, the top is an interesting concrete construction in a more modern style. The church tower dominates the city's skyline and can be seen from far outside of the old town.
Informative exhibition about the local history of Hulst. The tower has beautiful views.
the city windmill
Old mill built in 1792.