Statue of Michiel de Ruyter

The statue of Michiel de Ruyter stands on Boulevard de Ruyter in his birthplace Vlissingen, in the Dutch province of Zeeland. The cast-iron statue from 1841 was created by the Flemish sculptor Louis Royer. The statue depicts De Ruyter standing on a ship's deck with his back to the wheel, holding a telescope in one hand and his other hand on his hip. For years, there has been a story circulating in Vlissingen that De Ruyter, as a joke by the sculptor, has a small dog under his arm. However, it is likely that this is actually a roll of paper. The statue is affectionately called 'Michieltje' by locals. The Hungarian city of Debrecen also has a statue of the Vlissingen sea hero. De Ruyter saved 26 Hungarian Reformed ministers, who were on a Spanish galleon in the Mediterranean Sea, from slavery on February 11, 1676.

Wikipedia