Saint John's Canal

“A vliet is a natural inlet where a dock has been made for boats to moor,” says Erwin Liekens. “The Sint-Jansvliet was one of the oldest vlieten in the city. It was constructed around 1200 as part of the first Antwerp port, which was located at Het Steen. The Sint-Jansvliet was open to the Scheldt and thus subject to the tides.”

Around 1880, the Sint-Jansvliet was filled in. “During that same period, the Waterpoort moved here. That city gate from 1624 was originally located at Het Steen. When the first Antwerp port was partially demolished there, the Waterpoort found a new place here. Until it had to relocate again in the 1930s for the construction of the pedestrian tunnel. Since then, the Waterpoort has been at the Zuid, where we will walk to shortly.”

Mediahuis België