Fossa Eugeniana

The fossa is a Eugeniana begun in 1626, never completely finished, but in parts preserved channel between the Rhine and Meuse. Its width is about 4.3 m ( if still detectable ), his length of almost 50 km.

History

The canal was intended to cut off those of his time to Spain related, but renegade Dutch provinces of profitable trade on the Rhine. It should be put any more money in their war chests.

It was planned in a second stage to expand the canal to the river Scheldt, so that access from the Rhine to the North Sea without the use of the lower Rhine section would have been possible. There was even consideration, the entire Rhine to move into a new bed to allow the ports of Amsterdam and Rotterdam into insignificance fall, but this failed due to difficult terrain. They had overlooked the fact that there is a watershed between the Rhine and Meuse. A redirection of the Rhine would therefore not have been possible, more than one channel with numerous locks. However, even the first part of the canal was not completed.

The canal was intended from the outset as a defensive wall of the Spaniards against the Dutch, and so 24 bastion hills were built at regular intervals. However, the protection was not enough, and after several, partially successful, attacks by the Dutch nearly complete construction was abandoned.

It was planned to the channel under the then Spanish regent in Brussels, Isabella Clara Eugenia, daughter of Philip II of Spain, after he was named. The technical management was probably in the hands of Giovanni de 'Medici, also involved (possibly for military protection? ) Was the Marquis Spinola.

Under the leadership of then- governor of Upper district funds, Heinrich von dem Bergh, the construction was begun with great zeal. The first sod was turned on 21 September 1626. Soon, up to 8000 workers at work. Back in November the jumps of the channel of Rheinberg up funds were raised and already so far that he led water.

On June 17, 1627 Isabella Clara Eugenia arrived in Roermond to visit from there in the next few days the course of the fossa Eugeniana of Venlo on Straelen to Geldern.

During the construction of the second half came on but then difficulties. Technical problems already mentioned raids of the Dutch troops, but also financial problems of the Spanish crown, which include the hijacking of the silver fleet in 1628 were contributed, thicken the project. 1629 the works were then adjusted for the time being.

At the latest by the ingestion of Venlo 1632 and Rheinberg in 1633 by the Dutch under Frederick Henry accounted for the actual reason for the construction of fossa Eugeniana.

Course of the fossa Eugeniana

In Rheinberg begins or ends of the channel in the Rhine, and from there it runs north from Kamp- Lintfort am Kamp Monastery passing between Sevelen and Issum Geldern. Then he goes south to Walbeck past (where he still leads the water and is called Grift ), where the channel course then bends between Arcen (Netherlands) and Straelen south. It flows into the Meuse near Venlo.

Large parts of the course of the fossa Eugeniana are clearly visible today. From the hills are also still some visible, especially on the section between funds and Rheinberg. This makes the system an important archaeological site between Germany and the Netherlands dar.

Along the fossa Eugeniana end of the 1990s, cross-border established an approximately 60 -km route for walkers, cyclists and skaters which skirts at other area attractions.