Fort, vesting en -onderdelen, Sluis Amsterdam-Rijnkanaal-Vecht Maarssen (Stichtse Vecht 26)

English translation

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Description

Cluster 25. Lock/Water Inlet (Vechtsluis).

NEW HOLLANDIC DEFENCE LINE Introduction

LOCK / WATER INLET (Vechtsluis) as a combined civil and military hydraulic engineering component of the New Hollandic Defence Line, with the special function of supplying inundation water to the Vecht. The lock was built between 1889 and 1892 on behalf of the State Water Board (Rijkswaterstaat). On the east side of the lock is a double lock keeper's house. The lock primarily served a civil purpose as a connection between the Vecht and the Merwede Canal, laid out at the same time. Furthermore, the lock was important for the supply of water for inundation of areas to the east of the Vecht and thus formed part of the New Hollandic Defence Line. The structure thus had both a civil and a military function. In 1969 the lock was restored, during which the second and fourth sets of lock gates - counted from the canal side - were replaced; the gates are marked with the year of execution. In 1933 an existing bridge in the (Amsterdam) street across the south side of the lock was replaced by a new one. Earlier changes were also made to the immediate surroundings of the lock. For instance, at the level of the Vechtsluis there was a swing bridge over the Merwede Canal; this bridge was removed when the canal was enlarged to the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal, around 1939. Furthermore, a second connection between the two waterways - a former lock that remained as a hydraulic engineering relic at the mouth of the Proostwetering (now opposite the canal) - was removed, while the surroundings have been and are being redesigned.

Description

LOCK / WATER INLET (Vechtsluis) which forms a connection between the river Vecht and the former Merwede Canal, which was enlarged in the late 1930s of the 20th century into the (current) Amsterdam-Rhine Canal. The roughly north-south oriented lock had and has a civil function for shipping and could, through water inlet into the Vecht, play a role in the inundation of the area to the east of the Vecht. The lock measures approximately 45.00 x 15.50 (chamber) or 6.50 m (navigation passage). The lock (Vechtsluis) is a double-functioning lock with wooden pointed gates, which means that they can, per pair, lock and turn towards both the Vecht side and the canal side. This was particularly significant for its function as a water inlet. When open, the wooden gates with iron hinges are located in the gate recesses, which are recessed in the masonry walls of the lock heads. Wrought iron grilles with curved ends are attached to the gates. Structurally important components of the lock heads are constructed in concrete. Five of the eight movement mechanisms are present. Between the lock heads are talus slopes covered with basalt that form the lock chamber. The southern talus has a wooden stairway. The lock chamber contains wooden fender structures on both sides built on the basis of pile clusters. Additionally, fender structures outside the heads.

Valuation

The LOCK / WATER INLET (Vechtsluis) of the Lock Complex Amsterdam-Rhine Canal-Vecht is of general importance because of:

* Cultural-historical values as part of the New Hollandic Defence Line as designed by C.R.T. Kraijenhoff and initially realized from 1815 by him, Jan Blanken and major-engineer Willem Offerhaus, and subsequently strengthened and improved by others over approximately 125 years. Also as an expression of and reminder of the history of the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal (Merwede Canal) and in particular the water connection with the Vecht.

* Architectural-historical values in particular as an expression of military-strategic building science, which is based on the system of inundation and access defence (19th century).

The component is an example of an expression of historical hydraulic engineering related to civil and military-strategic building science - and it is important as a traffic connection and for military water inlet.

* Ensemble value and situational values as part of the New Hollandic Defence Line and because of the functional and physical coherence with the other components of the complex. Furthermore, because of the visual and functional relationship with the canal and the Vecht.

* The component is representative (characteristic) because it still exhibits most of the physical components and characteristics that originally motivated its construction and modification.

* The component is well preserved because it is a well-recognizable and largely intact example of a lock with a civil function as a navigation lock and a military function as an inlet lock.