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The Albert Canal (, ) is a
The Albert Canal was constructed from 1930 through 1939. The German construction company
canal
Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flo ...
located in northeastern Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
, which was named for King Albert I of Belgium. The Albert Canal connects Antwerp with Liège, and also the Meuse
The Meuse ( , , , ; wa, Moûze ) or Maas ( , ; li, Maos or ) is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a t ...
river with the Scheldt
The Scheldt (french: Escaut ; nl, Schelde ) is a river that flows through northern France, western Belgium, and the southwestern part of the Netherlands, with its mouth at the North Sea. Its name is derived from an adjective corresponding to ...
river. It also connects with the Dessel–Turnhout–Schoten Canal, and its total length is .
Size and geography
The Albert Canal has a standard depth of and an overhead clearance of . To allow four-stackedcontainer
A container is any receptacle or enclosure for holding a product used in storage, packaging, and transportation, including shipping.
Things kept inside of a container are protected on several sides by being inside of its structure. The term ...
traffic, bridges over the canal are currently being heightened to allow for a overhead.
Between Antwerp and Liège, there is a difference in elevation of , and six sets of canal locks were needed to overcome this difference. Five canal locks each have a lift of , and these are located in Genk
Genk () is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. The municipality only comprises the town of Genk itself. It is one of the most important industrial towns in Flanders, located on the Albert Canal, ...
, Diepenbeek
Diepenbeek (; li, Diepenbik) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. On January 1, 2012, Diepenbeek had a total population of 18,337. Its total area is 41.19 km² (15.9 sq mi) which gives a population dens ...
, Hasselt, Kwaadmechelen, and Olen, Belgium
Olen () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises three towns, situated on a south–north axis:
*South of the motorway E313 and the Albert Canal is Olen proper, also called Olen-Centrum (Saint-Marti ...
. The sixth lock at Wijnegem
Wijnegem () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality only comprises the town of Wijnegem proper. Wijnegem is one of the most expensive municipalities of the Flanders. In 2021, Wijnegem had a total population ...
has a lift of .
During most of the 1930s, before the completion of the Albert Canal, it took about seven days to travel from Antwerp to Liège by water. In the 21st century, that same distance can be covered in about 18 hours.
History
The Albert Canal was constructed from 1930 through 1939. The German construction company Hochtief AG
Hochtief AG is a German construction company based in Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
and the German occupation, intensive use only began later, in 1946.
During World War II, the Albert Canal functioned as a defence line. The crossing of the canal by the German forces and the destruction of Fort Eben-Emael
Fort Eben-Emael (french: Fort d'Ében-Émael, ) is an inactive Belgian fortress located between Liège and Maastricht, on the Belgian-Dutch border, near the Albert Canal, outside the village of Ében-Émael. It was designed to defend Belgium ...
on 11 May 1940 was a milestone in the German invasion of Belgium.
During the Liberation of Belgium by the Allies in September 1944, the Second Canadian Division was the first Allied unit to cross the Albert Canal. The British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
also crossed the Albert Canal on its way north across Belgium and into the Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
and the U.S. Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
entered Belgium further to the east on its way to liberate the rest of Belgium, and Luxembourg
Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg ; german: link=no, Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small lan ...
, and then proceed east to invade Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
. Hence, Belgium was liberated from the south by three different armies, two of which needed to cross the Albert Canal.
Today
In 2002, the canal carried a record 43 million tons of goods of various kinds, amounting to more than half the Belgian waterway total. The canal is also a popular leisure and cycling destination, with well paved service roads on both sides traversing picturesque farm land, particularly around Smeermaas, Lanaken and Maasmechelen.Notes
{{Authority control 1930s in Belgium Canals opened in 1939 Canals in Flanders Canals in Antwerp Province Canals in Limburg (Belgium) Geography of Antwerp Transport in Antwerp