The Charleroi-Brussels canal

The Charleroi-Brussels Canal was opened in 1832 to transport coal by ship from the Hainaut coalfields to Brussels and Antwerp. Initially, it was intended for inland vessels that could carry 70 tons of goods, but it has been widened and deepened several times. Today, ships can transport up to 1,350 tons of materials. Especially inland vessels carrying sand, gravel, metal, petroleum products, and grain are seen here. Upstream of the lock, the sand from the ships can be unloaded via a quay to supply a nearby factory where concrete is made.

Five kilometers downstream, in the city of Brussels, the canal connects to the Brussels-Scheldt Maritime Canal (formerly known as the Willebroeck Canal). Together, from the Sambre to the Scheldt, these two canals extend over a length of 102 kilometers, mainly in the Zenne Valley.

Together with the Ronquières inclined plane, the 11 locks that run from Charleroi to Brussels allow ships to cross the ridge that separates the Scheldt and Maas valleys. The Anderlecht Lock is the tenth lock from Charleroi. It is 81.6 meters long and 10.5 meters wide, allowing boats to bridge a height difference of 3.9 meters, and it can accommodate ships with a tonnage of up to 1,350 tons. Each time a boat passes, 3,337 cubic meters of water is added or drained! A few meters from the lock, on the right bank, stands a beautiful brick house where the lock keeper and his family used to live. The canal is fed by water from rivers and streams.

Coördinatie Zenne-Coordination Senne