The Netherlands is famously known worldwide for its elaborate canal system. These canals and rivers play a vital role in the country’s city planning as they provide for irrigation, water removal, and travel. Moreover, in the 16th century, these canals were built to allow ships to come closer to the cities and unload their cargo.
According to sources, over 26% of the Dutch territory lies below sea level, and canals are of prime significance for all kinds of local upkeep and transport. Although canals are found in several Dutch cities, the areas of Delft and Leiden were specially designed while keeping transportation through canals in mind. Nowadays, restaurant boats, houseboats, canal buses, and all sorts of boat types can be seen navigating these waterways. Maximizing the resourcefulness of these canals, the canals on the outside were used for defence against foreign invaders by serving as a trench.
Canal Layout:
The Dutch capital, Amsterdam, was built using a concentric circular design for canals in the 17thcentury. The three main inner canals, named Herengracht, Prinsengracht, and Keizersgracht, were designed to cater to the residential development forming the main city area. The fourth canal is on the outermost side, called Singel. It was made for the purpose of protection against invaders. It also helped in the management of excess water. These complex waterways were further interconnected via radiating canals in a fan-like formation. Another variety can be found in the municipality of Delft in the south, where the area was molded in a rectangular shape with canals spreading in a grid-like layout.
Canal Types:
The canals in the Netherlands, in actuality, are various kinds of water bodies that have distinct Dutch names, including Kanaal, Gracht, Vaart, and Singel. These different names come from the specific function of these canals in the past. Most commonly, people use singel or gracht, which are man-made waterways created within or on the boundary of a city. They have streets on either side. Singels have been historically employed for the defence of cities in the past.
Construction of Canals:
At the time of the Golden Age, Dutch businessmen were required to trade their products to and from the cities. They also needed a convenient and efficient method to expand the cities and their protection too. Therefore, the canals were constructed to serve multiple purposes, including transport, sewage, and defence. The construction of canals was strongly connected to the significant streams, and their digging as the entire architecture of the cities was to be established around the canals system. The ground material which was excavated while building these canals was used frequently to elevate the nearby streets to form higher banks, and the houses of the merchants were also built there.
In the later part of the 19thcentury, many canals had lost their true purpose. These were used to get wider roads by filling them. This also helped with better hygiene as stagnant water can be a breeding house for the bacteria. Some of the canals were, however, restored to their original state later on. These canals still reflect a lot of history because they are typically located in historic parts of the city, commercial areas, and museums today.
Famous Dutch Canals:
Amsterdam is known for its canal belt built in the 17th-century. These canals are on the heritage list of UNESCO. The old canals of The Hague were dug back in 1300, and they had been very important for transport purposes and water management in the city. Utrecht has won the title of the most beautiful town with canals in Europe many times. The most famous canal in Utrecht is the Oudegrach which is about 2 kilometres long and a thousand years old. Delft has three canals that go from the north-to-south, and these canals have been in this area the longest.
The Old Delft was the first canal that was dug back in 1100, along with the inception of this town as well as its being named Delft, taken from the word‘ delven’ in Dutch, meaning digging. Close to the 12th century’s final years, the second canal was dug called Nieuwe Delft. It was a component of the small settlement present near Old Delft.
Lastly, the Derde hoofdgracht, which was excavated in the 13th century, attaches the moat with the marketplace, as well as borders the city on the eastern side. There are a few “dry canals” in the city of Maastricht nowadays. This means that it has been a long time since they were filled. But their remains show that they used to flow through here.
Dutch Canals Today:
In the present day, canals form a very significant part of the iconic Dutch city view. In the same way as tourists, the locals enjoy the canal views and frequent the water bodies that flow through the cities, including Utrecht and Amsterdam.
The canals in the Netherlands are still used regularly for a variety of purposes. They include transport, cruises for tourists, swimming in designated areas, recreational activities such as canoeing and rowing, fishing, floating homes, and houseboats in personal as well as commercial capacity. Apart from these, various festivals take place around or on the canals. Pride Parade of Amsterdam Canal, King’s Day, Leidse Lakenfeesten, and Jazz at de Gracht Grachtenfestival are some of them.