Crooked Rhine

The Kromme Rijn was created about 2000 years before Christ and was once the main route from the Rhine to the North Sea. When there was a large supply of Rhine water, the low areas up to Leersum and Doorn were flooded. The south bank of the Kromme Rijn formed part of the northern border of the Roman Empire. This natural border, the Limes, was intended to keep Germanic tribes at bay. Afterwards, the Vikings sailed from Katwijk across the Kromme Rijn to 'trade' (read: plunder) with Dorestad, the current Wijk bij Duurstede. Over the years, the Rhine shifted its course more in the direction of the Lek, the river became narrower and shallower. The damming of the Kromme Rijn at Wijk bij Duurstede in 1122, by order of the Utrecht bishop Godebald, meant the end of this river as a drainage of Rhine water. This decision had far-reaching consequences: the Lek became the most important trade route, Utrecht had to be made accessible again by water and new areas, such as the Langbroekerwetering area, could be reclaimed. The oldest mention of the name Kromme Rijn dates back to the 16th century.

In 1870, the Kromme Rijn was given an important role in the New Dutch Waterline. The flooding of the area around Utrecht took almost a month; That had to be faster. The river was widened, bends were cut and weirs and sluices were constructed. In Wijk bij Duurstede, a large inundation sluice was built (to inundate is to flood). With this, Wijk bij Duurstede became the tap of the New Dutch Waterline. Now flooding the inundation fields only took 4 to 12 days. The inlet is still used daily for the supply of fresh water for the city of Utrecht and the Vecht.

Rieno ✅ Routes