"Burned Bridge" on Sea Channel Brussels-Rupel (Belgium)
Posted by: RoePer
N 50° 56.873 E 004° 24.803
31U E 599285 N 5644980
Vertical lift bridges along the "Zeekanaal Brussel-Rupel"
Waymark Code: WM33QP
Location: Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium
Date Posted: 02/04/2008
Views: 56
This is the third of a series of 7 vertical lift bridges along the 38km channel that connects Brussels with the Rupel and further North - via Antwerp and the Schelde - to the Northsea (Seachannel Brussels-Rupel).
Verbrande Brug "Burned Bridge", built in 1968 was initially both road and rail bridge, now it is only used for traffic. The name refers to the Spanish who burned the bridge on the channel in 1577 in order to prevent "De Geuzen" to attack them.
On August 24, 1914 the Belgian soldier Tresignies volunteered to to swim to the other side of the channel and lower the bridge so that the Belgian army could launch a counter attack to the German. He got killed in the attempt and received postume the ranck of corporal.
Herewith a link Dan Gamber's excellent information on
this channel (and its bridges)