Noordhollandsch Kanaal
The Nordhollandsch Kanaal is a 75 km long canal in the province of North Holland Amsterdam and connects via Purmerend and Alkmaar to Den Helder.
The canal was built by order of King William I of the Netherlands at the beginning of the 19th century. It starts in Amsterdam at the Willem I. Locks and ends in Den Helder with the Koopvaarderschutsluis.
History
In the 17th century, the navigability of the Zuiderzee for seagoing vessels to Amsterdam took off more and more. The goods had to be time consuming reloaded onto smaller ships. When that became too expensive to put a ship camels. Nevertheless, Amsterdam fought more against a sanding of the port.
At that time it was not in the position to build a direct connection from Amsterdam with the North Sea and the associated locks. Simultaneously, the IJ should be dammed.
The North Holland Canal was decided to build, which was created by the connection and widening of several drainage channels ( Boezemwater ). At various points, the channel is part of the Beemster and the Schermer ring Vaarten. Another part of the channel follows the course of the river at Alkmaar Rekere.
1824 the canal was finished and shortened the journey time from Amsterdam to Den Helder considerably. Because of the steady increase in vessel traffic and the growing vessels, the channel became too small. Some fifty years later, the North Sea Canal was opened. This Amsterdam had a short and direct connection to the North Sea. The North Holland Canal rapidly lost importance for shipping, but now it is still north of Alkmaar important. However, the channel for the water balance of North Holland is of great importance.
Floating bridges
A special feature of the North Holland Canal, the floating bridges. When the canal was built, it was not yet fixed bridges to build with large spans able.
Today, there are north of Alkmaar four floating bridges:
- The Koedijkervlotbrug
- The Burgervlotbrug
- The Sint Maartensvlotbrug and
- The Vlotbrug't Zand
There used to be at De Stolpen the Stolpervlotbrug and in Alkmaar a bridge at the site of the present ferry at the Bierkade.
Currently, a new floating bridge will be built for pedestrians and cyclists at Koedijk. This modern twist on a floating bridge is part of a new cycle route linking the mountains with Broek op Langedijk.