How did the Senne River help Brussels develop?

Brussels owes its early development to its strategic location on the Senne River. The river served as a vital geographic feature where an east-west economic route—linking towns on the Rhine with those in Flanders—crossed the waterway.1

At this intersection, a market and bartering center emerged under the protection of the dukes of Brabant, forming the foundation of the settlement. During the medieval period, the city’s defensive walls were constructed to encompass the commercially significant Senne.12

While the river was central to the city's origins, its role eventually shifted. By the 16th century, the Willebroek Canal was constructed to provide more efficient access to the Schelde and the North Sea, eventually replacing the Senne as the primary commercial waterway. In the 19th century, the polluted river was diverted and covered over to improve sanitation and accommodate modern urban boulevards.34