Delfzijl Tourist Attractions
|
|
The industrial town and port of Delfzijl, founded in the 13th century, lies in the Groningen marshland area which extends along the coast of the Waddenzee from Friesland to the estuary of the Eems. The Delfzijl harbour is a scenic area for walking and sightseeing. The inhabitants' main source of income is agriculture. The principal crops on the fertile soil of this area are wheat, sugar-beet, barley and rape. Characteristic features of the landscape are the handsome farmhouses of the old terp villages with their unusually large barns. Much of the agricultural produce of the region is exported, mostly by water.Delfzijl is linked with Groningen by the Eems Canal (navigable by vessels of 2,000 tons), along the banks of which numerous fields of natural gas are now being worked.
Surroundings
Winschoten
South of Delfzijl is Winschoten, where large deposits of salt were formerly worked. The Reformed church has preserved 13th century Romanesque work in the walls and the facade of the choir.The Roman Catholic Church was completed in 1880 and features stained glass windows and a sandstone highaltar.
Steam Pump
At Oostereinde 4 in Winschoten is an old steam pump working a double Archimedean screw, one of the last of its kind in existence.
Flour Mills
Northwest of Winschoten are three old flour mills, De Volharding (1783), De Berg (1854) and Dijkstra (1862), which are set working twice a month, usually on Saturday.
Maigret Monument
Features of interest in the town of Delfzijl are a number of old houses, the Adam mill (1795) and the Maigret Monument, commemorating George Simenon, who conceived the figure of Inspector Maigret in a sailing ship off Delfzijl.
