Oudegracht (Old Canal), Utrecht (must see)

This canal is likely the most famous in the city since it runs the entire length of the town from north to south. It is two kilometers long and connects Kromme Rijn and the Vecht.

When the Romans settled in the area, they chose the spot where the Vecht split from the Rhine. Unfortunately, the Rhine had begun to silt, and a dam built in 1122 threatened to limit navigation to Utrecht drastically. So a series of canals were built to compensate for these issues.

These canals served several purposes. First, they connected the town to the Rhine and the North Sea for trade routes. They also served a defensive purpose--many were used for moats around castles. Plus, the silt dug to make the canals was piled on the sides, which braced the community from flooding.

By creating a waterworks system, water levels in the canal are kept at a constant level. This enabled many homes and buildings along the canal to build quays and storage cellars, which eventually grew into wharves. By the 15th century, the city has a two-kilometer-long harbor of wharves with storage cellars.

An impressive collection of 16 beautiful bridges cross the Oudegracht. Most of these have two arches each, but a few have only one arch.