Cornelis Lely (1854-1929) was a Dutch civil engineer and statesman. He was the figure responsible for the Zuiderzee Works, which meant the enclosure of the Zuiderzee by means of the Afsluitdijk, and subsequently draining parts of it into polders. All this was the result of a combination of his technical knowledge and administrative power. 1854 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1929 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... An engineer may be someone who practices the engineering profession, or the driver of a rail locomotive. ... The 32 km long Afsluitdijk separates the IJsselmeer from the North Sea, protecting thousands of km² of land. ... Landsat photo The Zuider Zee (Dutch: Zuiderzee, pronounced ZIGH-der-zee) was a former shallow inlet of the North Sea in the northwest of the Netherlands, extending about 100 km inland and at most 50 km wide, with an overall depth of about 4 to 5 meters and a coastline... Afsluitdijk The Afsluitdijk (Closure-dike) is a major dam in the Netherlands, constructed between 1927 and 1933 and running from Den Oever on Wieringen in North Holland province, to the village of Zurich (mun. ... A polder is a low-lying tract of land that forms an artificial hydrological entity, enclosed by embankments known as dikes and requiring drainage by pumps to prevent the water table within it from rising too high. ...

From 1886 to 1891, he led the technical research team that explored the possibility of enclosing the Zuiderzee, which was approved by a State Commission. Lely was three times Minister of Transport and Water (1891-1894, 1897-1901, and 1913-1918) and exerted large influence in this function towards the implementation of his own plans. His plans were finally approved and executed after severe floodings along the Zuiderzee in 1916. 1886 is a common year starting on Friday (click on link to calendar) Events January 18 - Modern field hockey is born with the formation of The Hockey Association in England. ... 1891 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Landsat photo The Zuider Zee (Dutch: Zuiderzee, pronounced ZIGH-der-zee) was a former shallow inlet of the North Sea in the northwest of the Netherlands, extending about 100 km inland and at most 50 km wide, with an overall depth of about 4 to 5 meters and a coastline... 1891 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1894 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1897 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1901 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1913 is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... 1918 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1916 is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar) Events January-February January 1 -The first successful blood transfusion using blood that had been stored and cooled. ...

Remembrance

The city Lelystad, in the polder Eastern Flevoland and capital of the Province of Flevoland, was named after him. Lelystad is a municipality and a city located in the centre of the Netherlands, and it is the capital of the province of Flevoland. ... A polder is a low-lying tract of land that forms an artificial hydrological entity, enclosed by embankments known as dikes and requiring drainage by pumps to prevent the water table within it from rising too high. ... Flevoland is a province of the Netherlands. ...

In Suriname the village Kofi-Djompo was renamed after Lely, who was Gouvernor of Suriname from 1902-1905 and constructed a new railway from Paramaribo that ran through Lelydorp. The railway has gone, but Lelydorp survived and is now the capital of the district Wanica. It lies on the road from Paramaribo to Johan Adolf Pengel Airport (formerly known as Zanderij). 1902 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1905 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Wanica is a district of Suriname, in the northeast. ...

A statue of Lely stands on the western point of the dam Afsluitdijk. It was sculpted by Mari Andriessen and dedicated on September 23, 1954. A replica of this statue stands in the center of Lelystad, on a 35 meter high tower of basalt blocks, designed by Hans van Houwelingen. In Lelystad's city hall stands a statue of Lely made by Piet Esser. September 23 is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years). ... 1954 was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Via the Dutch page you can see some pictures of nl:Cornelis Lely

External sites

• info on Lelydorp, Suriname