Mallegatsluis, Lock and municipal monument in Gouda, Netherlands
Mallegatsluis is a lock in Gouda, Netherlands, connecting the Hollandsche IJssel river to the Turfsingel canal and listed as a municipal monument. It is roughly 150 feet (45 meters) long and about 26 feet (8 meters) wide, fitted with large lift gates that open and close to let boats through and control water levels.
Mallegatsluis has existed since the end of the 14th century, making it one of the oldest water structures in Gouda. New lift gates were installed in 1884 and again in 1941, and until 1936 it was one of the main points for boat traffic in the city.
The name Mallegat refers to the canal area that has been used for trade and transport for centuries. Today, visitors can watch small leisure boats pass through the lock and get a direct sense of how water still shapes daily life in Gouda.
The lock sits in the center of Gouda and is easy to reach on foot from the main market square. The lock and the old lock keeper's house next to it can be seen from outside at any time, with no entry fee required.
When the foundation stone for the lock was laid on August 5, 1764, it was the mayor's young son, Willem, who placed it. Near the lock, fossils of trilobites have also been found, ancient sea creatures that lived hundreds of millions of years ago.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
