Yes, it does indeed have city rights and competes with Staverden, Bronkhorst and Eembrugge for the title of smallest town in the Netherlands. Mude, as Sint Anna ter Muiden was first called, received city rights in 1242 and is therefore older than Sluis.
The origin story of St. Anna ter Muiden begins at the start of the 12th century. A severe storm and storm surge ravaged the coast. When the sea retreated, a natural channel was formed: the Zwin. The newly formed sea inlet was one of the most important trade routes of Western Europe. Settlements arose on the left bank of the Zwin, including: Mude (St. Anna ter Muiden), Hoeke and Damme. As the only city on the right bank, Lamminsvliet (Sluis) developed.
From the 14th century onwards, silting up increased dramatically; first Bruges became inaccessible, then Damme. The harbour functions were taken over by St. Anna ter Muiden and Sluis. Due to the many land reclamations, the sea inlet was definitively cut off from the sea.
The Church of St. Anna ter Muiden
You can see it standing from afar. The massive square tower of St. Anna ter Muiden. The tower is a remnant of a 14th-century Gothic cruciform church. From the traces in the four side walls, one can deduce that the tower was built in between the choir, the nave of the church and two transepts. The height shows how impressive the building must once have been.
During the Eighty Years' War, the church building was destroyed. In 1653, the current Dutch Reformed church was built against the blunt tower on the south side. It is believed that the church tower once served as a lighthouse, when the town still had a harbour in the 14th century and the Zwin was heavily navigated.
The current (small) church dates from 1653. There is also a churchyard next to the church. On the south side, the good and baptised people were buried, on the north side the bad and the unbaptised. Next to the church path, unbaptised babies who had died in childbirth were buried. It was believed that if pregnant women walked over the path, the soul of the dead baby would nestle in the woman's belly. This way, it had the chance to be born and baptised again.
The Market Square of St. Anna ter Muiden
The centre of St. Anna ter Muiden is the unique Market Square, which is protected in its entirety as a monument. The restored houses date from the late 17th and 18th centuries. In the middle of the Market Square stands the monumental water pump.
The water pump (1789) bears the coat of arms of St. Anna ter Muiden on the front. The shield in the coat of arms relates to shipping; the anchor stands for anchorage at sea. The bird of prey (griffin) is a symbolic representation of forcefully upholding the inviolability of the city's rights.
Marktplein 12 is the old town hall (1650). A town hall is a house of the citizenry and therefore hardly differs from the other dwellings. As a sign of authority, the town hall has a roof turret with a bell and a weather vane. Above the entrance of the town hall hangs the coat of arms of St. Anna ter Muiden.
