Watervliet

Watervliet is a village in the Belgian province of East Flanders and a part of the municipality of Sint-Laureins.

Watervliet is part of the Meetjesland region and is located against the Dutch border. Until the end of 1976, it was an independent municipality. Watervliet has an area of 21.08 km² and had a population of 1,644 on January 1, 2008. Here lie the Jeronimus polder, Sint-Anna polder, Sint-Barbara polder, Jonkvrouwpolder, and the Sint-Christoffel polder.

Watervliet was managed from 1197 by the lords Van Praet from Bruges. In 1287, the village disappeared below sea level. For more than 200 years, it remained a lost village. In 1497, the land was reclaimed and came into the possession of Hiëronymus Lauweryn, chancellor and treasurer of Philip the Handsome. The village is located in three polders created by Hiëronymus: the Jeronimus polder, Sint-Christoffel polder, and the Sint-Annapolder. The village was rebuilt in 1504 by Lauweryn ("of Watervliet"), who also founded the lordships of Waterland and Waterdijk, as well as the city of Philippine. All three became dependent on Watervliet. The descendants of Hiëronymus remained the owners of the village until 1719, when the Massiet family took over.

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