De Sjouwer

This impressive concrete monument along the E17 motorway symbolises the many frontier workers of yesteryear. They crossed the border from the Kortrijk region to work in the textile industry in northern France. They left at the crack of dawn, first on foot, then by bicycle and still later by the special buses and trains for frontier workers.

The four points of the 35-metre-high Sjouwer represent the four directions of the wind. The largest point symbolically points towards France.

There is a fictitious tree at De Sjouwer, a creative way of calling attention away from antennas.