▁in ▁ 1 1 2 7 , ▁making ▁it ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁oldest ▁can als ▁in ▁the ▁Netherlands . ▁The ▁first ▁stretch ▁was ▁d ug ▁between ▁the ▁mo at ▁surrounding ▁U tre cht ▁and ▁L ies bos ch ▁( current ly ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁Nie uw eg ein . ▁In ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 2 th ▁century , ▁the ▁Va art se ▁R ijn ▁was ▁extended ▁in ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁the ▁Holland se ▁I J ss el , ▁( the ▁so - called ▁Do ors lag ▁canal ). ▁At ▁its ▁j unction ▁with ▁the ▁Holland se ▁I J ss el , ▁a ▁lock ▁protected ▁the ▁canal ▁from ▁in und ation . ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁the ▁Holland se ▁I J ss el ▁was ▁in ▁open ▁connection ▁with ▁the ▁Le k ▁river , ▁a ▁major ▁distrib ut ary ▁of ▁the ▁Rh ine . ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 2 8 5 ▁Flor is ▁V , ▁Count ▁of ▁Holland ▁dam med ▁the ▁Holland se ▁I J ss el ▁connection ▁between ▁the ▁Le k ▁and ▁the ▁Holland se ▁I J ss el . ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁maintain ▁the ▁connection ▁between ▁the ▁U tre cht ▁and ▁the ▁Le k , ▁Flor is ▁ordered ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁stretch ▁of ▁the ▁Va art se ▁R ijn ▁( the ▁" N ieu we ▁Va art "), ▁to ▁meet ▁the ▁Le k ▁directly ▁at ▁V rees w ijk . ▁In ▁ 1 3 7 3 ▁the ▁Va art se ▁R ijn ▁was ▁deep ened , ▁and