The IJ (; sometimes shown on old
map
A map is a symbolic depiction emphasizing relationships between elements of some space, such as objects, regions, or themes.
Many maps are static, fixed to paper or some other durable medium, while others are dynamic or interactive. Although ...
s as ''Y'' or ''Ye'') is a
body of water
A body of water or waterbody (often spelled water body) is any significant accumulation of water on the surface of Earth or another planet. The term most often refers to oceans, seas, and lakes, but it includes smaller pools of water such a ...
, formerly a
bay, in the
Dutch province of
North Holland. It is known for being
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...
's waterfront.
Etymology
The name IJ is derived from the
West Frisian word ''ie'', alternatively spelled ''ije'', meaning water and cognate with the English word
ea. The name consists of the
digraph ij which is capitalized as IJ.
Geography
Today, the IJ is divided into two parts:
* To the west of the Oranjesluizen (
Oranje Locks
The Oranje Locks are a group of locks and other water management facilities just east of Amsterdam.
Characteristics
The ''Oranje Locks'' are located in the IJ Dijk, a dam which cuts through the IJ just east of Amsterdam. This dam runs from th ...
), the Binnen-IJ (inner IJ), or Afgesloten-IJ (closed IJ), is directly connected to the
North Sea Canal
The North Sea Canal ( nl, Noordzeekanaal) is a Dutch ship canal from Amsterdam to the North Sea at IJmuiden, constructed between 1865 and 1876 to enable seafaring vessels to reach the port of Amsterdam. This man-made channel terminates at Amster ...
, where the port of IJmuiden and the
North Sea
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea, epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the ...
can be reached.
* To the east of the Oranjesluizen, the Buiten-IJ (outer IJ) is an extension of the
IJmeer
The IJmeer is a ' bordering lake' (''Randmeer'') in the Netherlands. It lies between the De Nes polder (in Waterland), Pampushaven, Hollandse Brug and the mouth of the IJ in IJburg, straddling the provinces of North Holland and Flevoland. It i ...
which is itself an extension of the
Markermeer
The Markermeer () is a lake in the central Netherlands in between North Holland, Flevoland, and its smaller and larger neighbors, the IJmeer and IJsselmeer. A shallow lake at 3 to 5 m in depth, matching the reclaimed land to its west, ...
.
The IJ is connected to the North Sea to the west and the IJmeer to the east by a set of
locks
Lock(s) may refer to:
Common meanings
*Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance
*Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal
Arts and entertainment
* ''Lock ...
.
History
There are several theories about the origins of the IJ. Perhaps it began as a stream, following a breakthrough in the dunes of
Castricum.
More likely, the IJ is a remnant of a northern arm of the
Rhine delta.
Finally, the IJ could also come from the lake
Almere
Almere () is a planned city and municipality in the province of Flevoland, Netherlands, located about 20 km to the east of Amsterdam (as the crow flies) across the IJmeer.
Bordering Lelystad and Zeewolde, the municipality of Almere comprise ...
or
Flevo.
During the Roman period the IJ connected on one side with lake Flevo and the
Vecht (Utrecht)
The Vecht is a Rhine branch in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is sometimes called Utrechtse Vecht to avoid confusion with its Overijssel counterpart. The area along the river is called the Vechtstreek.
Geography
The Vecht originates from th ...
and the other with the North Sea. Connection with the North Sea has subsequently disappeared, while the IJ in the Middle Ages has expanded. This is due to the emergence of the
Zuiderzee
The Zuiderzee or Zuider Zee (; old spelling ''Zuyderzee'' or ''Zuyder Zee'') was a shallow bay of the North Sea in the northwest of the Netherlands, extending about 100 km (60 miles) inland and at most 50 km (30 miles) wide, with an o ...
, itself a bay of the North Sea resulting from a number of storms.
At the end of the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
, the IJ was a long and narrow
brackish
Brackish water, sometimes termed brack water, is water occurring in a natural environment that has more salinity than freshwater, but not as much as seawater. It may result from mixing seawater (salt water) and fresh water together, as in estu ...
bay that connected to the
Zuiderzee
The Zuiderzee or Zuider Zee (; old spelling ''Zuyderzee'' or ''Zuyder Zee'') was a shallow bay of the North Sea in the northwest of the Netherlands, extending about 100 km (60 miles) inland and at most 50 km (30 miles) wide, with an o ...
and stretched from Amsterdam in the east to
Velsen
Velsen () is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is located on both sides of the North Sea Canal.
On the north side of the North Sea Canal there is a major steel plant, Tata Steel IJmuiden, formerly known a ...
in the west. At its west end, only the natural
dune ridge across the Dutch North Sea
coast
The coast, also known as the coastline or seashore, is defined as the area where land meets the ocean, or as a line that forms the boundary between the land and the coastline. The Earth has around of coastline. Coasts are important zones in ...
prevented the IJ, which
grew ever larger through the centuries, from directly connecting to the North Sea and so making the North Holland
peninsula nearly an island. By the seventeenth century, however, access to the IJ became difficult due to
sand bars across its mouth, and ships becoming bigger, and it was nearly impossible for seafaring vessels to reach the city of Amsterdam. At the same time, the bay
gnawed away at the surrounding
farmland
Agricultural land is typically land ''devoted to'' agriculture, the systematic and controlled use of other forms of lifeparticularly the rearing of livestock and production of cropsto produce food for humans. It is generally synonymous with bo ...
s, almost connecting with the
Haarlemmermeer
Haarlemmermeer () is a municipality in the west of the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Haarlemmermeer is a polder, consisting of land reclaimed from water. The name Haarlemmermeer means 'Haarlem's lake', referring to the body of wate ...
(Lake Haarlem) and seriously threatening the cities of
Haarlem and Amsterdam.
Plans were put forth to
reclaim
Reclaim, reclaimed, reclaimer, reclaiming or reclamation means "to get something back".
It may refer to:
* Land reclamation, creating new land from oceans, riverbeds, or lake beds
* Dedesertification, reversing of the land degradation in arid ...
both the Haarlemmermeer and the IJ and turn them into
polders. The Haarlemmermeer was first, falling dry in 1852, and the largest part of the IJ followed suit between 1865 and 1876, with only a small lake remaining at Amsterdam that was closed off from the Zuiderzee by the Oranje
lock
Lock(s) may refer to:
Common meanings
*Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance
*Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal
Arts and entertainment
* ''Lock ...
s. At the same time, the
North Sea Canal
The North Sea Canal ( nl, Noordzeekanaal) is a Dutch ship canal from Amsterdam to the North Sea at IJmuiden, constructed between 1865 and 1876 to enable seafaring vessels to reach the port of Amsterdam. This man-made channel terminates at Amster ...
was constructed in the former IJ basin to provide Amsterdam with access to the sea again and revive
its ailing port. It cut through the isthmus to connect to the North Sea near the town of Velsen; a new
port
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 H ...
,
IJmuiden ("IJ's mouth") was built at its west end. The east end of the IJ polders near Amsterdam was given over to industry, and a large new
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 H ...
area was constructed.
The Buiten-IJ hosted the mixed dinghy
sailing
Sailing employs the wind—acting on sails, wingsails or kites—to propel a craft on the surface of the ''water'' (sailing ship, sailboat, raft, windsurfer, or kitesurfer), on ''ice'' (iceboat) or on ''land'' (land yacht) over a chosen cou ...
events for the
1928 Summer Olympics in neighboring Amsterdam. It also hosted two
events
Event may refer to:
Gatherings of people
* Ceremony, an event of ritual significance, performed on a special occasion
* Convention (meeting), a gathering of individuals engaged in some common interest
* Event management, the organization of ev ...
for the
1920 Summer Olympics in
Antwerp.
The nautical event
SAIL Amsterdam takes place on and around the IJ.
References
External links
*
{{Olympic venues sailing
Former bays
Geography of Amsterdam
Lakes of the Netherlands
Landforms of North Holland
Olympic sailing venues
Venues of the 1920 Summer Olympics
Venues of the 1928 Summer Olympics