The Dyle (french: Dyle ; nl, Dijle ) is a river in central
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...
, left tributary of the
Rupel. It is long. It flows through the Belgian provinces of
Walloon Brabant
Walloon Brabant (french: Brabant wallon ; nl, Waals-Brabant ; wa, Roman Payis) is a province located in Belgium's French-speaking region of Wallonia. It borders on (clockwise from the North) the province of Flemish Brabant (Flemish Region) and ...
,
Flemish Brabant
Flemish Brabant ( nl, Vlaams-Brabant ; french: Brabant flamand ) is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on (clockwise from the North) the Belgian provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Liège, Walloon Brabant, Hain ...
and
Antwerp
Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504, . Its source is in Houtain-le-Val, near
Nivelles
Nivelles (; nl, Nijvel, ; wa, Nivele; vls, Neyvel) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. The Nivelles municipality includes the former municipalities of Baulers, Bornival, Thines, and Monst ...
in Walloon Brabant.
The most important cities along the Dyle are (starting from the source)
Ottignies
Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve (; wa, Ocgniye-Li Noû Lovén) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. On January 1, 2006, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve had a total population of 29,521. The total area ...
,
Wavre
Wavre (; nl, Waver, ; wa, Wåve) is a city and municipality of Wallonia, capital of the province of Walloon Brabant, Belgium.
Wavre is in the Dyle valley. Most inhabitants speak French as their mother tongue and are called "Wavriens" and " ...
,
Leuven
Leuven (, ) or Louvain (, , ; german: link=no, Löwen ) is the capital and largest city of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located about east of Brussels. The municipality itself comprises the historic c ...
and
Mechelen
Mechelen (; french: Malines ; traditional English name: MechlinMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical contex ...
, the last of which is often called the 'Dijlestad' (Dyle City). The main tributaries of the Dyle are the rivers
Demer (in Werchter,
Rotselaar municipality), and the
Zenne
The Senne () or Zenne () is a small river that flows through Brussels, left tributary of the Dijle/Dyle.
Its source is in the village of Naast near the municipality of Soignies. It is an indirect tributary of the Scheldt, through the Dijl ...
at the ''Zennegat'', on the farthest outskirts of Mechelen, where the canal Leuven-Mechelen also connects. A few hundred metres downstream, the confluence of the Dyle and the
Nete at
Rumst forms the river Rupel, which further comes into the
Scheldt
The Scheldt (french: Escaut ; nl, Schelde ) is a river that flows through northern France, western Belgium, and the southwestern part of the Netherlands, with its mouth at the North Sea. Its name is derived from an adjective corresponding to ...
on which the Antwerp
seaport
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as ...
is located.
The Dyle used to be navigable for small
ship
A ship is a large watercraft that travels the world's oceans and other sufficiently deep waterways, carrying cargo or passengers, or in support of specialized missions, such as defense, research, and fishing. Ships are generally distinguished ...
s from Werchter on, although nowadays commercial and pleasure navigation is limited to Mechelen, the upper locks at Mechelen being closed for navigation.
Tributaries
*Dyle
**
Zenne
The Senne () or Zenne () is a small river that flows through Brussels, left tributary of the Dijle/Dyle.
Its source is in the village of Naast near the municipality of Soignies. It is an indirect tributary of the Scheldt, through the Dijl ...
(
Mechelen
Mechelen (; french: Malines ; traditional English name: MechlinMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical contex ...
)
***
Maalbeek
The Maelbeek or Maalbeek () is a stream that runs through several municipalities in Brussels, including Etterbeek, Ixelles, Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, Schaerbeek. It is a tributary of the Zenne, which it joins up in Schaerbeek, from its source located ...
(
Grimbergen)
***
Woluwe (
Vilvoorde
Vilvoorde (, french: Vilvorde ; historically known as ''Filford'' in English) is a Belgian municipality in the Flemish province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the city of Vilvoorde proper with its two outlying quarters of Koningslo ...
)
***
Maalbeek
The Maelbeek or Maalbeek () is a stream that runs through several municipalities in Brussels, including Etterbeek, Ixelles, Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, Schaerbeek. It is a tributary of the Zenne, which it joins up in Schaerbeek, from its source located ...
(
Schaerbeek)
***
Molenbeek (
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
-Laken)
***
Neerpedebeek (
Anderlecht
Anderlecht (, ) is one of the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium. Located in the south-western part of the region, it is bordered by the City of Brussels, Forest, Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, and Saint-Gilles, as well as the ...
-Neerpede)
***
Zuun (
Sint-Pieters-Leeuw
Sint-Pieters-Leeuw (; french: Leeuw-Saint-Pierre) is a Dutch-speaking municipality of Belgium located in the province of Flemish Brabant (Flemish Region).
The municipality comprises the towns of Oudenaken, Ruisbroek, Sint-Laureins-Berchem, Sint- ...
-Zuun)
***
Geleytsbeek (
Drogenbos
Drogenbos (; ) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality only comprises the town of Drogenbos proper. On January 1, 2018, Drogenbos had a total population of 5,599. The total area is 2.49 km² ( ...
)
***
Linkebeek
Linkebeek (; ) is a Belgian municipality in Flanders, part of the province of Flemish Brabant, and in the administrative district of Halle-Vilvoorde. The municipality only comprises the town of Linkebeek proper. As of 1 January 2006, Linkebeek ...
(
Drogenbos
Drogenbos (; ) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality only comprises the town of Drogenbos proper. On January 1, 2018, Drogenbos had a total population of 5,599. The total area is 2.49 km² ( ...
)
***
Molenbeek (
Lot)
***
Senette (
Tubize)
****
Hain (
Tubize)
****
Samme (
Braine-le-Comte-Ronquières)
*****
Thines (
Nivelles
Nivelles (; nl, Nijvel, ; wa, Nivele; vls, Neyvel) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. The Nivelles municipality includes the former municipalities of Baulers, Bornival, Thines, and Monst ...
)
**
canal Leuven-Mechelen (
Mechelen
Mechelen (; french: Malines ; traditional English name: MechlinMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical contex ...
)
**
Vrouwvliet (
Mechelen
Mechelen (; french: Malines ; traditional English name: MechlinMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical contex ...
)
**
Demer (
Rotselaar)
***
Velp (
Halen)
***
Gete
The Gete (; french: Gette) is a river in Belgium which flows south to north. It is a left tributary of the Demer.
The Gete is formed by the confluence of the rivers ''Grote Gete'' ("Large Gete") and ''Kleine Gete'' ("Small Gete") near Budingen. ...
(
Halen)
****
Herk (
Herk-de-Stad
Herk-de-Stad (; french: Herck-la-Ville, ) is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On 1 January 2018, Herk-de-Stad had a total population of 12,661. The total area is 42.83 km² which gives a population densi ...
)
****
Large Gete (
Zoutleeuw)
****
Small Gete
The Gete (; french: Gette) is a river in Belgium which flows south to north. It is a left tributary of the Demer.
The Gete is formed by the confluence of the rivers ''Grote Gete'' ("Large Gete") and ''Kleine Gete'' ("Small Gete") near Budingen. ...
(
Zoutleeuw)
**
Voer (
Leuven
Leuven (, ) or Louvain (, , ; german: link=no, Löwen ) is the capital and largest city of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located about east of Brussels. The municipality itself comprises the historic c ...
)
**(
IJse) (
Huldenberg
Huldenberg () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the towns and villages of Huldenberg proper, Loonbeek, , Ottenburg and Sint-Agatha-Rode. On January 1, 2011, Huldenberg had a total pop ...
)-(
Overijse
Overijse () is a municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in Flanders, Belgium. It is a suburb of the wider Brussels metropolitan area. The municipality comprises the town of Overijse, and the communities of Eizer, Maleizen, Jezus-Eik, T ...
)
**
Nethen (
Graven-Nethen)
**
Laan (
Huldenberg
Huldenberg () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the towns and villages of Huldenberg proper, Loonbeek, , Ottenburg and Sint-Agatha-Rode. On January 1, 2011, Huldenberg had a total pop ...
-Terlanen-
Sint-Agatha-Rode
Sint-Agatha-Rode, named after the third-century Christian martyr Saint Agatha of Sicily, is a Dutch-speaking village in Belgian province of Flemish Brabant and lies within the district of the town of Huldenberg. Historically Sint-Agatha-Rode was ...
)
***
Zilverbeek (
Rixensart
Rixensart (; wa, Ricsinsåt) is a municipality of Wallonia located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. On January 1, 2018, Rixensart had a total population of 22,401. The total area is 17.54 km² which gives a population density of ...
-Genval)
**
Thyle (
Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve
Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve (; wa, Ocgniye-Li Noû Lovén) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. On January 1, 2006, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve had a total population of 29,521. The total area ...
)
See also
The
Dyle Plan was an unsuccessful
Allied plan to stop the German advance through the flat, central plains of Belgium in 1940.
From 1795 until 1815, when Belgium, the Netherlands and parts of Germany were incorporated into
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, there was a
department named after the river Dyle, see
Dyle (department).
External links
*
Rivers of Belgium
Rivers of Walloon Brabant
Rivers of Flemish Brabant
Rivers of Antwerp Province
{{Belgium-river-stub