t'Sas

The Sas on the Old Scheldt is the oldest hydraulic structure in our country. It was built in 1592 between the new course of the Scheldt and the Old Scheldt. Pedro Coloma, the then lord of the land, had the sluice constructed to make the Old Scheldt accessible again for ships as far as Bornem center. Bargemen could dock at the quay in Rijkenhoek, which meant an economic and cultural revival. Until 1950, wood from Bornem was transported over the Old Scheldt via the sas to the shipyard in Temse, and stone ships from the brickworks in the Rupel area were pulled via the sas to the quay of Bornem. In 1961, the sas fell into disuse because two sets of sas doors were destroyed during a flood tide and because a permanent dyke was built.

In 2001, the sas and its surroundings were fully restored. The third missing gate was reintroduced. Not only the sluice itself, the sas mill, and the small bridge of the side road were renewed, but also the nearly intact surroundings are of great aesthetic and historical value. The bottom remained untouched, as it is a beautiful blue stone with patterns.

Protected monument: MB 18/11/1991

Eric.magda De Clerck