The Sinne

Today, this street extends over the former bed of the southernmost branch of the Ill, one of the four canals that once made up Mulhouse's hydraulic network. Among them, the Sinne played a dual role: containing the Ill's floods and protecting the city from inundations. In the 19th century, Mulhouse's industrial growth led to the gradual covering of these canals. The Sinne canal was filled in between 1859 and 1866, marking a major urban transformation. This covering allowed a direct connection between the Miroir Gate and the Basel Gate, fostering the development of a new district and facilitating city travel. The name of this ditch, "Sinne," comes from German and means "gauge." It recalls an old practice: gaugers, stationed behind the town hall, measured the capacity of barrels using the ditch's water as a reference.