The view of Sint-Joris has changed a lot in recent decades. The cause must be sought in the many works on the canal.
The history of the Ghent-Bruges canal goes back to the 13th century and is therefore one of the oldest canals in Flanders. As early as the 14th century, a wooden bridge was located over the canal at Sint-Joris.
In the period 1330-1335, the Zuidleie was canalised from the Minnewater to the Moerbrug. Around 1360, the Bruges city council decided to carry out large-scale works and to bring the bed of the Zuidleie to the desired depth and width everywhere. A first stone bridge is already mentioned in 1379.
Under pressure from the blockade of the Western Scheldt at the beginning of the 17th century, the idea for a canal between Ghent and Bruges was resumed. In 1613, Archduke Albert of Austria granted permission to the States of Flanders to further excavate the canal between Sint-Joris and Ghent. In Sint-Joris, the canal could then connect to the already excavated section in the bed of the Zuidleie. The lockless Ghent-Bruges canal (42 km) was dug between 1613 and 1623 and opened in 1625.
Since its opening in 1625 and up to the present day, work has been carried out in various phases to widen, deepen and straighten the canal. In 1831, a new bridge was built, which was given the name Leopoldsbrug.
Sint-Joris suffered little during the First and Second World Wars, except for the damage to the bridge over the canal. In 1918, this iron swing bridge was blown up and this happened again in 1940 and September 1944. The surrounding houses were also badly damaged. During the night of 12 to 13 September 1944, the Canadians built a Bailey bridge over the canal as an emergency bridge for cyclists and pedestrians across the canal.
However, this emergency bridge remained in service for a long time! For almost 40 years, this bridge (popularly known as ‘’t klein brugske’) provided the connection between the 2 parts of the village. After a new and modern bridge was built 100 metres further (around 1969-1970), the ‘klein brugske’ was demolished around 1985 (during the widening works on the canal). The surrounding houses (north of the canal) were also demolished or disappeared into the new canal. This widened canal was constructed between 1980-85 and was necessary due to the increasing tonnage of ships.
Translated by Google •
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