Melaanvliet

A during the 20th century all but obliterated, recently partially restored, city creek in Mechelen

Voormalige Nieuwe Melaan ter hoogte van het huidige Jef Denynplein

Bezig met het laden van de kaart...

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Rond 1850 de (inmiddels grotendeels overwelfde) vlieten Oude Melaan
en, langheen de straat Melaan, de eeuwenoude Nieuwe Melaan

De Melaan of Melaanvliet in Mechelen bestond uit twee vlieten: de Oude en de Nieuwe Melaan, elk met een breedte van ongeveer zes tot zeven meter.

De benaming "Melaan" kennen we uit 1235. De oudst bekende vermelding van de "Oude Melaan" stamt uit 1289, zodat de Nieuwe Melaan toen al moet bestaan hebben. Zeer waarschijnlijk werd de Nieuwe Melaan tussen 1235 en 1289 gegraven. De Oude Melaan was een gebogen nevenloop van de Dijle, van het Melanegat aan de Volmolen bij de Kruidtuin doorheen de ganse noordelijke helft van de binnenstad tot aan de Winketpoort. Daar mondde de vliet met een opmerkelijk brede vaargeul uit, zoals een volwaardige zijrivier. De Nieuwe Melaan takte aan het Hellegat af van de oorspronkelijke, alwaar de tuin van het aartsbisschoppelijk paleis is aangelegd. Via de straat die we kennen bij de naam Melaan kwam ze door het inmiddels tot pleintje in het Hof van Villers omgetoverde traject uit in de Dijle.

De Melaan werd in 1913 gedempt als één van de laatste vlieten in het toenmalige Mechelen. Het Melanegat werd toen dichtgemetseld. Nauwelijks als een vliet herkenbaar, bleef slechts het Groen Waterke over, een uitermate pittoresk stadsbeeld.

Anno 2006 werd, langsheen voormelde ernaar genoemde straat, een deel van de Melaan opnieuw opengelegd, om meer zicht op water in de binnenstad te brengen. Tevens werd de voormalige Minderbroedersbrug gerestaureerd.

Externe links

• Oude foto's van de vlietjes. Roger's site. Roger K. (op Multiply). Nagezien 2013-02-11.
• Water in Historic City Centers
• De Melaan in foto's.
• Mechelen Blogt

Bronnen

• Raes, Gommaire (tekst); Coremans, Eddy (foto's). De Melaan (*) (Pdf). e-Melaan p. 6-7. Cultuurraad Mechelen (2008-01-22). Nagezien 2013-02-11. (*) Overgenomen uit Brandpunt, 3-maandelijks tijdschrift van de Koninklijke Mechelse Fotokring