The Dyle (; ) is a river in central
Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
, left tributary of the
Rupel
The Rupel () is a tidal river in northern Belgium, right tributary of the Scheldt. It is about long. It flows through the Belgian province of Antwerp. It is formed by the confluence of the rivers Dijle and Nete, in Rumst. It flows into the Sch ...
. It is long. It flows through the Belgian provinces of
Walloon Brabant
Walloon Brabant ( ; ; ) is a province located in Belgium's French-speaking region of Wallonia. It borders on (clockwise from the North) the province of Flemish Brabant (Flemish Region) and the provinces of Liège, Namur and Hainaut. Walloon Br ...
,
Flemish Brabant
Flemish Brabant ( ; ) is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on (clockwise from the North) the Belgian provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Liège, Walloon Brabant, Hainaut and East Flanders. Flemish Brabant also ...
and
Antwerp
Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...
. Its source is in Houtain-le-Val, near
Nivelles
Nivelles (; ; ) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. The Nivelles municipality includes the former municipalities of Baulers, Bornival, Thines, and Monstreux.
The Nivelles arrondissement ...
in Walloon Brabant.
The most important cities along the Dyle are (starting from the source)
Ottignies
Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve (; ) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. On January 1, 2006, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve had a total population of 29,521. The total area is 32.96 km2 which giv ...
,
Wavre
Wavre (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the Provinces of Belgium, province of Walloon Brabant, Belgium.
Wavre is in the Dijle, Dyle valley. Most inhabitants sp ...
,
Leuven
Leuven (, , ), also called Louvain (, , ), is the capital and largest City status in Belgium, city of the Provinces of Belgium, province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located about east of Brussels. The municipalit ...
and
Mechelen
Mechelen (; ; historically known as ''Mechlin'' in EnglishMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical context. T ...
, the last of which is often called the 'Dijlestad' (Dyle City). The main tributaries of the Dyle are the rivers
Demer (in Werchter,
Rotselaar municipality), and the
Zenne
The ( French, ) or ( Dutch, ) is a small river that flows through Brussels, Belgium. Its source is in the village of Naast near the municipality of Soignies. It is an indirect tributary of the Scheldt, through the Dyle and the Rupel. It jo ...
at the ''Zennegat'', on the farthest outskirts of Mechelen, where the canal Leuven-Mechelen also connects. A few hundred metres downstream, the confluence of the Dyle and the
Nete at
Rumst
Rumst (, old spelling: ''Rumpst'') is a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality located in the Belgium, Belgian province of Antwerp (province), Antwerp. Since 1976 the municipality not only comprises Rumst proper but also the towns of (old spell ...
forms the river Rupel, which further comes into the
Scheldt
The Scheldt ( ; ; ) is a river that flows through northern France, western Belgium, and the southwestern part of Netherlands, the Netherlands, with its mouth at the North Sea. Its name is derived from an adjective corresponding to Old Englis ...
on which the Antwerp
seaport
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manc ...
is located.
The Dyle used to be navigable for small
ship
A ship is a large watercraft, vessel that travels the world's oceans and other Waterway, navigable waterways, carrying cargo or passengers, or in support of specialized missions, such as defense, research and fishing. Ships are generally disti ...
s from Werchter on, although nowadays commercial and pleasure navigation is limited to Mechelen, the upper locks at Mechelen being closed for navigation.
Tributaries
*Dyle
**
Zenne
The ( French, ) or ( Dutch, ) is a small river that flows through Brussels, Belgium. Its source is in the village of Naast near the municipality of Soignies. It is an indirect tributary of the Scheldt, through the Dyle and the Rupel. It jo ...
(
Mechelen
Mechelen (; ; historically known as ''Mechlin'' in EnglishMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical context. T ...
)
***
Maalbeek (
Grimbergen
Grimbergen () is a Municipalities in Belgium, municipality in the Provinces of Belgium, province of Flemish Brabant, in the Flemish region of Belgium, north of the capital Brussels. The municipality comprises the towns of Beigem, Grimbergen, Hu ...
)
***
Woluwe (
Vilvoorde
Vilvoorde (; ; ; historically known as ''Filford'' in English) is a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality and City status in Belgium, city in the Halle-Vilvoorde district (''arrondissement'') of the Provinces of Belgium, province of Flemish Bra ...
)
***
Maalbeek (
Schaerbeek
(French language, French, ; former History of Dutch orthography, Dutch spelling) or (modern Dutch language, Dutch, ) is one of the List of municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, 19 municipalities of the Brussels, Brussels-Capital Reg ...
)
***
Molenbeek (
Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
-Laken)
***
Neerpedebeek (
Anderlecht
Anderlecht (; ) is one of the List of municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium. Located in the south-western part of the region, it is bordered by the City of Brussels, Forest, B ...
-Neerpede)
***
Zuun (
Sint-Pieters-Leeuw-Zuun)
***
Geleytsbeek (
Drogenbos)
***
Linkebeek (
Drogenbos)
***
Molenbeek (
Lot)
***
Senette (
Tubize)
****
Hain (
Tubize)
****
Samme (
Braine-le-Comte
Braine-le-Comte (; ; ) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium.
On January 1, 2018, Braine-le-Comte had a total population of 21,649. The total area is which gives a population density of 260 inhabi ...
-Ronquières)
*****
Thines (
Nivelles
Nivelles (; ; ) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. The Nivelles municipality includes the former municipalities of Baulers, Bornival, Thines, and Monstreux.
The Nivelles arrondissement ...
)
**
canal Leuven-Mechelen (
Mechelen
Mechelen (; ; historically known as ''Mechlin'' in EnglishMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical context. T ...
)
**
Vrouwvliet (
Mechelen
Mechelen (; ; historically known as ''Mechlin'' in EnglishMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical context. T ...
)
**
Demer (
Rotselaar)
***
Velp (
Halen
Halen (), formerly Haelen (), is a municipality and city located in the Belgian province of Limburg, to the west of Hasselt. On January 1, 2018, Halen had a total population of 9,461. The total area is 36.29 km2 which gives a population de ...
)
***
Gete (
Halen
Halen (), formerly Haelen (), is a municipality and city located in the Belgian province of Limburg, to the west of Hasselt. On January 1, 2018, Halen had a total population of 9,461. The total area is 36.29 km2 which gives a population de ...
)
****
Herk (
Herk-de-Stad
Herk-de-Stad (; , ) is a municipality and city located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On 1 January 2018, Herk-de-Stad had a total population of 12,661. The total area is 42.83 km2 which gives a population density of 296 inhabitants per ...
)
****
Large Gete (
Zoutleeuw
Zoutleeuw (; ) is a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality and City status in Belgium, city in the Hageland, in the extreme east of the Belgium, Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. On 1 January 2018 the municipality had 8,498 inhabitants. The t ...
)
****
Small Gete (
Zoutleeuw
Zoutleeuw (; ) is a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality and City status in Belgium, city in the Hageland, in the extreme east of the Belgium, Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. On 1 January 2018 the municipality had 8,498 inhabitants. The t ...
)
**
Voer
The Voer (Dutch, ; ) is a small river in Belgium and the Netherlands. It is a right-bank tributary to the river Meuse. It has three (creek-) tributaries of its own: the ''Veurs'', the ''Noor (Meuse), Noor'' and the ''Beek''.
The source of the Voer ...
(
Leuven
Leuven (, , ), also called Louvain (, , ), is the capital and largest City status in Belgium, city of the Provinces of Belgium, province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located about east of Brussels. The municipalit ...
)
**(
IJse) (
Huldenberg)-(
Overijse
Overijse () is a municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is a suburb of the wider Brussels metropolitan area. The municipality comprises the town of Overijse proper, and the communities of Eizer, Mal ...
)
**
Nethen (
Graven-Nethen)
**
Laan (
Huldenberg-Terlanen-
Sint-Agatha-Rode)
***
Zilverbeek (
Rixensart-Genval)
**
Thyle (
Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve
Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve (; ) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. On January 1, 2006, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve had a total population of 29,521. The total area is 32.96 km2 which giv ...
)
See also
The
Dyle Plan was an unsuccessful
Allied plan to stop the German advance through the flat, central plains of Belgium in 1940.
From 1795 until 1815, when Belgium, the Netherlands and parts of Germany were incorporated into
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, there was a
department named after the river Dyle, see
Dyle (department)
Dyle (, ) was a departments of France, department of the French First Republic and French First Empire in present-day Belgium. It was named after the river Dyle (river), Dyle (Dijle), which flows through the department. Its territory corresponded ...
.
External links
*
{{Authority control
Rivers of Belgium
Rivers of Walloon Brabant
Rivers of Flemish Brabant
Rivers of Antwerp Province