Afsluitdijk (Closure Dam)

Without dikes, the Netherlands as we know it would not exist – never mind the Zuiderzee Route! Without the barrier dam known as Afsluitdijk, IJsselmeer lake would still be Zuiderzee sea.

There were three reasons why it was necessary to build the dam. 1) To protect coastal towns and villages from flooding by the treacherous Zuiderzee sea; 2) to shorten the coastline, facilitating dike maintenance; 3) land reclamation: Once the barrier was in place, the Dutch created several large polders in the lake, to take advantage of the fertile clay soil for farming.
Who do we have to thank for the Barrier Dam? Cornelis Lely, engineer and Minister of the Department of Hydraulic Engineering Works. The earliest ideas for a dam date to 1886. But it wasn’t until 1927 that work was started on the construction. It was completed in 1932. A year later, traffic could drive across it. Today, an average of 19,500 motorized vehicles cross the dam daily; as well as 400 cyclists. The Closure Dam is a tourist attraction of international significance, understandably drawing much attention. Where else can you see such vast waterscapes, in all directions?