Although the Delta Works in the Netherlands are impressive, they are nevertheless literally an attraction of the ‘reserved’ kind. After all, the Delta Works form the world’s largest storm surge protection system. It was built by the Dutch government in response to a devastating flood disaster in 1953, in which almost 1,900 people and over 200,000 animals lost their lives in the south of the country. The 13 structures of the storm surge barrier, consisting of five huge flood barriers, two locks and six dams, are distributed over the coastal sections of three Dutch provinces and protect the Dutch from the waters of the North Sea. If you want to see for yourself why the American Society of Civil Engineers has declared the project a modern wonder of the world, you can explore the Delta Works by bicycle over a distance of 137 kilometres. The eight-kilometre-long Oosterschelde barrier with its 62 gates is particularly worth a visit.
Website of the Delta Works: http://www.deltawerken.com/1
Website of the tourist board: https://www.holland.com/global/tourism/getting-around/interests/land-of-water/delta-works
Photo: Dams that would make any beaver proud: the Delta Works. Credits: Sjoerd Bracke & Cuno de Bruin.
