Verbrande Brug, Vertical-lift bridge in Grimbergen, Belgium
Verbrande Brug is a steel vertical-lift bridge that crosses the Brussels-Scheldt Sea Canal to connect both banks. Two towers rise 50 meters high, and the bridge deck spans about 38.4 meters across, measuring roughly 11.6 meters wide, with a mechanism that raises and lowers it as needed.
The name comes from a wooden bridge destroyed by Spanish troops in 1577. The current steel structure was built later to handle shipping traffic on the modern canal.
The name recalls a wooden bridge burned by Spanish troops in 1577, and this heritage shapes the local identity today. The structure stands as a physical reminder of the region's turbulent past.
You can walk or cycle across the bridge, and from the height you get a good view of the canal. It is best to visit during daylight when you might see the lift mechanism in action if boats are passing through.
In December 2004, the steel cables snapped during a lowering operation, and the entire bridge deck crashed about 8 meters into the canal. This dramatic event remains vivid in local memory and shows the extreme forces the structure endures.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
