Sas van Gent

History

Sas van Gent is a border fortress which was founded in 1547 when the city of Ghent received permission from Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor to dig a canal to the Westerschelde. Between 1551 and 1563, a lock was constructed north of Zelzate which was subsequently fortified. In 1583, it was captured by Spanish troops. The Catholic Assumption of Mary church is a three-aisled basilica like church built between 1891 and 1892 and designed by Joseph Cuypers. The church is a replacement of its 1739 predecessor. In 1869, a railway station opened on the Terneuzen to Ghent railway line. The line was closed in 1939, and the building was demolished in 1967. The city started to industrialize in the late 19th century. As the rest of Zeeland did not have enough fresh water for sugar production, Sas van Gent got two beet sugar factories. The first was the NV Zeeuwsche Beetwortelsuikerfabriek founded in 1872. The other was a cooperative; the Eerste Nederlandsche Coöperatieve Beetwortelsuikerfabriek (ENCBS). A museum dedicated to the industrial heritage is located in the warehouses of the former ENCBS, which closed down in 1989. The former municipality covered an area of 63.65 km² (of which 3.02 km² water). The former municipality of Sas van Gent also included the following towns, villages and townships: Philippine, Westdorpe, Zandstraat. All are now part of Terneuzen.