Helsluis

Helsluis is a lock in Dordrecht that connects two river sections and features a lens-shaped chamber with sloping quay walls lined with basalt blocks. Wooden structures at both ends help stabilize this navigational passage.

Built in 1864, this lock became part of a water management system connecting formerly separate polders in the region. It served as a crucial link in controlling water levels across the Dutch landscape.

This Rijksmonument exemplifies Dutch water management engineering through its preserved manual operation systems and traditional construction methods.

The lock operates using manual mechanisms to control water levels between the two rivers, with gates and a rolling bridge still worked by hand. You can observe the structure from nearby paths that run along the water.

A double water gauge on site marks the flood level from February 1953, when a devastating flood submerged large areas of the country. This marker stands as a reminder of one of the Netherlands' worst water disasters.

Location: Dordrecht

Part of: Sluiscomplex Hel- en Zuilespolder

Address: Merwelanden bij 33

GPS coordinates: 51.81072,4.78244

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:01