Anspachlaan

The two tunnels beneath your feet where the Zenne was hidden are now partially used by the premetro. Further along, they serve as storm basins.

The arching of the river

Between 1867 and 1871, the Zenne was banished beneath the street surface due to numerous floods (exacerbated by urbanization and the impermeability of the soil).
From then on, it flowed in two tunnels from the Zuidstation to the Noordstation. Above ground, countless houses and alleys had to make way for wide avenues modeled after Paris (Anspachlaan, Lemonnierlaan, Zuidlaan, A. Maxlaan, and E. Jacqmainlaan), with large townhouses and prestigious buildings like the Stock Exchange. Between 1930 and 1955, the Zenne was further covered to Anderlecht. It was also redirected to follow the canal, which meant it no longer flowed under the major avenues.

The extremely poor water quality of the Zenne, which was a real open sewer and a major carrier of diseases, justified the covering at that time. Fortunately, the situation today is much better thanks to the construction of two wastewater treatment plants for the purification of Brussels' wastewater.

Coördinatie Zenne-Coordination Senne