Hof der dingen - Iconic seafront tile

West Flanders is, of course, the only province along the Belgian coast. Our shoreline stretches for 65 kilometres, with sandy beaches up to 500 metres wide and dunes reaching as much as 2.5 kilometres inland. 

In earlier times, the sea was left to its own will, but from the 15th century onwards, dikes rose to protect the surrounding land from flooding. After the great flood of 1404, John the Fearless— Count of Flanders and Duke of Burgundy—ordered the dikes to be joined into one great line: the Graaf Jansdijk, running from Dunkirk to Sas van Gent. In this way, the polders were born, and the Flemish coast was drawn into a straighter line. 

With the rise of coastal tourism came further development of the dikes: the arrival of the coastal tram, the construction of luxurious seaside villas, and the ongoing extension of the dike. This prosperity came to an abrupt halt with the First World War. Most of the coast fell into German hands and, although tourism did not vanish entirely, it was severely restricted. Artillery was installed at various points along the shoreline. µ

Much of the seawall had to be rebuilt after the war—this time using a distinctive tile that would become a hallmark of the Flemish coast. For years, brick yards in Welkenraedt and Jurbise specialised in producing this tile, with its unique motif. Its ochre-coloured ceramic surface helped shape the very look of our province’s shoreline. 

Today, the Flemish Government is working on its Kustvisie master plan to protect the province against a sea-level rise of up to three metres. As part of this effort, some dikes are being redesigned, and the once-common seafront tile is gradually vanishing from sight. 

This inspired the small Westende chocolatier Zoete Zee to immortalise the iconic tile in the form of a delicious praline or chocolate bar—both now officially recognised as West Flemish regional products. 

It was Dirk Van den Bossche who gifted us one of these iconic tiles