View source for Zwin

{{Short description|Nature reserve and former tidal inlet on the North Sea coast of the Belgian–Dutch border}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Zwin
| alt_name = 
| iucn_category = 
| photo = File:Zwin.jpg
| photo_width = 288
| photo_caption = Zwin at high tide seen from the [[Netherlands|Dutch]] to the [[Belgium|Belgian]] side
| map = 
| map_alt = 
| map_caption = 
| map_width = 192
| location = [[Belgium|Belgian]]–[[Netherlands|Dutch]] border
| nearest_city = [[Knokke-Heist]], [[Sluis]]
| coords = {{coord|51|21|50|N|3|21|12|E|display=title|region:BE_type:waterbody_source:nlwiki}}
| area_km2 = 1.58
| established = 1952
| visitation_num = 
| visitation_year = 
| governing_body = 
| url = http://www.zwin.be/
| embedded = {{Designation list
| embed = yes
| designation1 = Ramsar
| designation1_date = 4 March 1986
| designation1_number = 328<ref>{{Cite web|title=Zwin|website=[[Ramsar Convention|Ramsar]] Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/328|access-date=25 April 2018}}</ref>}}
}}

[[File:Sea lavender.JPG|thumb|[[Sea lavender]] blossoms in August–September]]

The '''Zwin''' ({{IPA|nl|zʋɪn}}) is a [[nature reserve]] at the [[North Sea]] coast, on the [[Belgium|Belgian]]–[[Netherlands|Dutch]] border. It consists of the entrance area of a former tidal [[inlet]] which during the [[Middle Ages]] connected the North Sea with the ports of [[Sluis]] and [[Bruges]] inland.

The Zwin inlet was formed originally by a storm that broke through the Flemish coast in [[Dunkirk transgression|1134]],<ref name="charlier">{{cite journal|last=Charlier|first=Roger H. | author-link=Roger Charlier |year=2011|title=The Zwin: From Golden Inlet to Nature Reserve|journal=Journal of Coastal Research|volume=27|issue=4 |pages=746–756|doi=10.2112/10a-00003.1|s2cid=131619959 }}</ref> creating a tidal channel that reached some 15&nbsp;km inland and was also connected, through another channel, to the mouth of the [[Scheldt]] further north-east. The new waterway offered access to the sea to the inland city of [[Bruges]], which consequently rose to become one of the foremost medieval port cities of Europe. The towns of [[Damme]], [[Sluis]] and [[Sint Anna ter Muiden]] were also located on the Zwin. However, from the late 13th century onwards, the channel was affected by progressive [[silting]], which from around 1500 caused the waterway to become unusable and cut off the harbour of Bruges from the sea.

The present-day nature reserve was founded in 1952.  It has an area of 1.25 square kilometres in [[Knokke-Heist]], [[Belgium]] and 0.33 square kilometres in [[Sluis]], [[Netherlands]]. It is famous for its large variety in salt-resistant [[Flora (plants)|flora]], such as [[sea lavender]]. It is also popular with bird watchers. There is a small [[zoo]] with some major domestic birds and it is one of the few places in Belgium with a population of [[white stork]]s.<ref name="charlier"/>

In March 1986 it was declared a [[Ramsar Site|Wetland of International Importance]].<ref name="Ramsar list">{{cite web|title=The List of Wetlands of International Importance|url=http://www.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/documents/library/sitelist_25_june_2015.pdf|publisher=[[Ramsar Convention]]|access-date=5 September 2015}}</ref>

== Sea battles ==
The [[Battle of Damme]] was fought on 30 May and 31 May 1213. The success of the English raids ended the threat of a French invasion of England.

The [[Battle of Sluys]] was a sea battle fought on 24 June 1340 as one of the opening conflicts of the [[Hundred Years' War]] between England and France.

During the [[Eighty Years' War]] between the [[Dutch Republic]] and [[Spain]], the [[Battle of Sluis (1603)|Battle of Sluys]] on 26 May 1603 was a naval battle in which a Spanish squadron tried to break through a blockade of the Zwin by Dutch ships.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{Official website|http://www.zwin.be/en}}

[[Category:Former bays]]
[[Category:Marine reserves]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1952]]
[[Category:Transboundary protected areas]]
[[Category:Belgium–Netherlands border]]
[[Category:Dunes of Europe]]
[[Category:Dunes of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Ramsar sites in Belgium]]
[[Category:Nature reserves in Belgium]]
[[Category:Nature reserves in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Landforms of West Flanders]]
[[Category:Landforms of Zeeland]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in West Flanders]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Zeeland]]
[[Category:Zeelandic Flanders]]
[[Category:Knokke-Heist]]
[[Category:Sluis]]