Haarlemmertrekvaart

The Haarlemmermeer Trek Vaart is a canal between Amsterdam and Haarlem leading up to Noordwijk.

Until the 17th century the most important connection between Amsterdam and Haarlem went over the IJ. The road connection went up to the beginning of the 16th century about Sloten and Vijfhuizen. When this connection from Haarlemmermeer washed away, there was only the tortuous path through the Spaarndammerdeich.

In 1631 the cities of Amsterdam and Haarlem decided to create a Trek Vaart. It was the first Trek Vaart in Holland. The channel was a direct connection between the Haarlemmerpoort in Amsterdam and the Amsterdamerpoort in Haarlem. 1632 the connection was completed. Along the canal towpath was a created, which was paved in 1762. This path was the forerunner of today's Haarlemmermeer path.

The towing barges with was in the 17th and 18th centuries the most comfortable, most reliable and regular daily transport method in the Netherlands. Only in the frosts of the traffic was stopped. Halfway the passengers had to change trains at a water intake plant a windmill. The barges were able to accommodate up to 30 passengers and were pulled by horses.

Also, as in 1839 a railway line was opened, drove on the barges, but the traffic increased, more and more from. The regular boat traffic was stopped. The channel is still the irrigation and drainage and is between Halfweg and Westerpark a drainage channel of the Water Board ( Hoogheemraadschap ) Rijnland.