Nederland - Vlissingen

Statue of Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter was unveiled by King William II on 25 August 1841. The cast iron statue was designed by sculptor Louis Royer. He based the statue on a painting by Ferdinand Bol. In 1894 the statue was give its current location on the ‘Keizersbolwerk’, where it is overlooking the mouth of the river Scheldt. Since 1905 the statue is flanked by two cannons recovered from the Sea of Messina. After a massive restoration the statue was unveiled again on 5 July 2011.

Michiel de Ruyter - the Netherland’s best known admiral - was born in Vlissingen (Flushing) on 24 March 1607. He went to sea as a young boy and would rise from cabin boy lieutenant admiral general, after he had been a mate on a whaler and worked for the Lampsins mercantile house in Vlissingen.

During the second half of the 17th century the Dutch Republic waged wars to protect the trade. These wars were mainly fought at sea. In the period 1666 - 1676 De Ruyter showed his skills as a commander-in-chief. He died in harness 29 April 1676 in a battle with the French in the Sea of Messina. His remains were interred in the ‘Nieuwe Kerk’ in Amsterdam.

(For more info about De Ruyter: nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michiel_de_Ruyter)