Four Front Bridge and corn cob

The Vierfronten Bridge played an important role in both world wars. This arch bridge has witnessed four battles, hence the name 'Vierfronten Bridge'. In both world wars, the Belgian army dynamited this bridge.

Blowing up the Vierfronten Bridge was a major issue, as the next bridges were in Sint-Baafs-Vijve (upstream) and in Grammene (downstream). Hence, a small boat was needed to cross. Later, a cable-drawn ferry was installed. The ferry was pulled along the cable to prevent it from drifting away. When a ship passed, the cable was lowered to the bed of the Leie and then pulled back up. Releasing it happened automatically, while lifting it had to be done manually. The crank used for this is located to the right of the walkway in front of the ferry operator's house. One had to pay the ferry operator for the crossing.

During the 1970s, the Leie was channeled a second time, and further on towards Zulte, a new bridge was built over the Leie Canal. The Vierfronten Bridge was preserved and the old Leie in this section was filled in, which is why there is no water flowing under the bridge anymore.

Maiskot or Kogelhuis

Commissioned by the Versele family, owners of the then-brewery Anglo-Belge, this impressive silo for the storage of maize was built in 1925 on the right bank of the Leie in the Zulte area. It is commonly referred to as the "Maiskot" or the "Kogelhuis".

When the Second World War broke out in May 1940, the steel bridge over the Leie, which was only a stone's throw from the silo, was blown up by the Belgian army. Despite the building receiving several direct hits, it held its ground. In the façade facing the street, you can still see numerous marks from bullet impacts.

The German troops had reached Olsene and wanted to cross the Leie as quickly as possible via the Oeselgemse Neerhoek. This building obstructed the clear view of the Belgian defense line on the approaching German troops. Major Collard – the commander of the second battalion of the 19th Line Regiment – had a 75 mm cannon brought in during the night of May 24 to 25, 1940, to destroy the maize silo. This heavy artillery was set up at a distance of less than 150 meters from the maize silo. After 20 cannon shots, the maize silo was riddled with holes, yet it remained standing amidst all this violence.

ludwigvan