Bergen op Zoom's location on the Scheldt River was an important
factor in this city's development into a wealthy trading city
during the Middle Ages. Traders from all over Europe flocked to
Bergen op Zoom twice a year for the Easter and the Cold Markets.
The brisk trade led to the building of Het Markiezenhof and the
expansion of the Sint Gertrudiskerk church. In 1567, the city
changed radically as a result of major military activities and
siege. The defences that were built during this period survived
the Eighty Years War with Spain. The Bergen city anthem 'Merck
toch hoe sterck', loosely translated as 'see how strong we are',
harks back to these tumultuous times. The harbour was an
important artery which brought troops and supplies into the
city. In 1698, a radical modernisation of the defences, designed
by the renowned Dutch fortress builder Menno van Coehoorn, was
started. As his building work was seen as impregnable, Bergen op
Zoom was given the nickname 'La Pucelle', the virgin. At the end
of the 19th c