Afsluitdijk: an impressive feat of engineering
In the Netherlands there is one of the most impressive hydraulic engineering works in the world, the Afsluitdijk. A dam built in the first half of the last century and boasting 32 kilometers in length, 90 meters in width, and more than 7 meters above sea level. It is an impressive system that allows a part of the country not to end up below sea level. Many visitors decide to travel here just to see this impressive human work. An enchanting system of closures and hydraulic works that allow you to control the water level, regulating the needs of agriculture and coastal protection.
Do you want to know more about this masterpiece of engineering and design? Then you're in the right place.
History Afsluitdijk
The Afsluitdijk is part of a series of works carried out in the Zuiderzee, a goldmine along the coasts of the North Sea that was created following floods in the thirteenth century. The works began in 1927 and ended 5 years later with the closing of the last lock. In the following year, a road was opened to the public above the dam, connecting the north and south of the country, namely North Holland and Frisa. With the closure of the gulf, the area with the salt water of the Zuiderzee became the fresh water of the IJselmeer.
The idea of closing the Zuiderzee was already active in the seventeenth century but the technologies of the time did not allow it. The first more concrete projects began to arrive at the end of the nineteenth century from the engineer Lely, after the Dutch populations had suffered frequent floods from the North Sea which caused enormous damage to the surrounding areas. The need to create protection for Dutch lands was enormous. In fact, already in the second half of the nineteenth century an association was founded which had to develop a plan to dry up the Zuiderzee. After years of study, the first project for drainage and reclamation was presented in 1891. It was only in 1913 that the reclamation was included in government plans and this act led to protests from fishermen's groups. The subsequent floods of 1916 and 1918 convinced the government to act promptly, with approval by Parliament in 1920.
Thousands of workers from all corners of the world worked on the construction of the dam. The end of the works marked an important moment to celebrate for many communities, but not for all: several fishermen lost their jobs. Due to the loss of income, the Dutch government decided to reimburse the fishing workers who had lost their jobs.
Environmental and social impact
Of course, many events have occurred over the past 90 years and various parts of the dam require constant maintenance, reinforcement, and replacement. Also making the situation worse is the constant climate change which makes the work of damming the waters increasingly challenging.
The dam also plays a decisive role in tourism. In addition to offering a beautiful panorama of the North Sea in its vastness, it also offers the opportunity to cross typical Dutch landscapes.
Afsluitdijk Wadden Center:
If you are interested in learning more about the history of the dam, you can visit the Afsluitdijk Wadden Center. With an interactive exhibition you can discover the history of the IJsselmeer area, the Wdden Sea (UNESCO heritage), and marine migrations. More information can be found on their official page by clicking here.
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