Hellevoetsluis / Netherlands

Hellevoetsluis is a Dutch municipality on the island Voorne-Putten. The island is located in the Rhine delta, south of the province of South Holland. In order to strengthen the naval and trading port the fortification of Hellevoetsluis was built here in the early 17th century. The small town at that time was the largest naval port of the Republic of the United Netherlands and retained its strategic position as a port city into the 19th century. Today, around 40,000 people in the community with their three districts Hellevoetsluis, Nieuwenhoorn and Nieuw-Helvoet.