Zenne

The Senne in Rebecq

The Senne (French) or Zenne ( Dutch) is a small river that flows through Brussels and is 103 km long. It is fed by, among other things Maelbeek and the Woluwe and is along the Dyle and Rupel an indirect tributary of the Scheldt.

Until the 10th century it was called River Braine. A native of the West Franks Charles of Lower Lorraine, who settled on a fortified island in Brussels, led based on the Seine in the name Senne.

In the center of Brussels it was fully built over the course of the 19th and 20th centuries. However, in the countryside and outside the urban area it runs still visible. As a waterway it was replaced by the partially built into their Aue canal Charleroi -Brussels.

In the wetlands along the river thrives especially the iris (Iris ). The iris was therefore chosen as the emblem of the Brussels -Capital Region.

The Senne was known as one of the most polluted rivers in Europe, because until recently the feces of about two million people and wastewater was initiated by hundreds of factories in the Brussels area directly into the river. Since the commissioning of a sewage treatment plant in Haren in March 2007, the water quality improved.