Cornelis Lely

Cornelis Lely , born with Amsterdam on September 23rd, 1854 and died in $the Hague on January 22nd, 1929 is an engineer and statesman Dutch.

Cornelis Lely is at the origin of the construction of the Afsluitdijk, dam closing the IJsselmeer. Minister in charge for transport and installations hydraulics between 1891 and 1894, then 1897 and 1901 and finally between 1913 and 1918, it directs the studies and work on the realization of the dam. Its plan is approved in 1916. Work is spread out of 1927 to 1933. The Zuiderzee disappears, leaving the place to the IJsselmeer, vast lake separated by sea by a dam from 32 km. Between 1902 and 1905, he is governor of the colony Dutchwoman of the Surinam.

Cornelis Lely gave its name to the town of Lelystad, built on a polder of the IJsselmeer and capital since 1986 of the province of the Flevoland. This province is almost entirely itself a whole of polders. The locality of Lelydorp, in Surinam, owes him its name, to remember it work railway carried out under its governorship.

Three statues of Cornelis Lely were set up, the first at the end Western of the Afsluitdijk (work of Mari Andriessen and inaugurated in 1954), the second with Lelystad and works of Hans van Houwelingen, the last being with the town hall of Lelystad (creation of Piet Esser).

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