Haarlemmertrekvaart
| Haarlemmertrekvaart | |
|---|---|
The canal near Amsterdam | |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Geography | |
| Direction | East |
| Start point | Haarlem |
| End point | Amsterdam |
| Beginning coordinates | 52°23′02″N 4°45′18″E / 52.3840°N 4.7549°E |
| Ending coordinates | 52°23′08″N 4°52′56″E / 52.3856°N 4.8821°E |
The Haarlemmertrekvaart [ˌhaːrlɛmərˈtrɛkfaːrt] (Haarlem's Tow-Canal) is a canal between Amsterdam and Haarlem in the province of North Holland, the Netherlands. It was dug in 1631, making it the oldest tow-canal in Holland. Travel on such canals was historically done by barges (or trekschuit in Dutch) which were towed by animals (and sometimes by man-power) on a path along the canal's edge (towpath).