Mittelland Canal
Major east-west inland waterway in central Germany.
via Wikipedia: Mittelland Canal · see source
The Mittelland Canal, also called the Midland Canal, is the longest man-made waterway in Germany, stretching 325.7 kilometers. It serves as the country’s primary east-west inland water route, and its reach extends beyond Germany, connecting France, Switzerland, and the Benelux nations with Poland, the Czech Republic, and the Baltic Sea.
The canal begins at the Dortmund-Ems Canal near Hörstel, then runs north along the Teutoburg Forest, passes Hanover, and meets the Elbe River near Magdeburg. At Magdeburg, it links to the Elbe-Havel Canal, creating a continuous shipping path to Berlin and onward to Poland. The waterway crosses the Weser River at Minden via two aqueducts, one completed in 1914 and another in 1998, and near Magdeburg it crosses the Elbe with its own aqueduct. Side canals connect to Ibbenbüren, Osnabrück, Minden (two canals to the Weser), Hanover-Linden, Hanover-Misburg, Hildesheim, and Salzgitter. West of Wolfsburg, the Elbe Lateral Canal branches off, providing access to Hamburg and, through the Elbe-Lübeck Canal, to the Baltic Sea.
Construction started in 1906 from Bergeshövede on the Dortmund-Ems Canal. The section to Minden opened in February 1915, initially called the Ems-Weser-Kanal. The Minden-to-Hanover stretch was finished in autumn 1916. Extensions reached Sehnde and the Hildesheim branch in 1928, Peine in 1929, and Braunschweig in 1933. The final segment to Magdeburg opened in 1938, creating a direct link between western and eastern Germany. The Salzgitter branch opened in 1941. A planned canal bridge over the Elbe, needed to avoid summer low water, was never built due to World War II.
After Germany’s partition following the war, the canal was split between West and East Germany, with the border east of Wolfsburg. To give the western section access to Hamburg and northern Germany without crossing East Germany or relying on the Elbe’s sometimes tricky navigation, the Elbe Lateral Canal opened in 1977. Following the revolutions of 1989 and German reunification, the canal’s importance as a link from the west to Berlin and the east grew, leading to the restart of the Elbe bridge project. The Magdeburg Water Bridge opened in 2003, providing a direct connection to the Elbe-Havel Canal. In 2013, a plan to link the canal to the Netherlands’ Twentekanaal, intended to shorten the route to the Port of Rotterdam, was deemed unprofitable. Until its closure on 1 April 2024, the Mehrum Power Station received its bituminous coal via the canal.
Towns and cities along the route include Ibbenbüren, Osnabrück (via a branch), Bramsche, Lübbecke, Minden, Garbsen, Hanover, Sehnde, Hildesheim (via a branch), Peine, Salzgitter (via a branch), Braunschweig, Wolfsburg, Haldensleben, and Magdeburg. Notable structures are the Minden Aqueduct and the Magdeburg Water Bridge.
- length
- 325.7 kilometers (202.4 miles)
- start_point
- Branches off the Dortmund-Ems Canal at Hörstel
- end_point
- Meets the Elbe River near Magdeburg
- construction_started
- 1906
- opened
- Section to Minden opened February 1915; final section to Magdeburg opened 1938
- longest_artificial_waterway_in
- Germany
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Construction of the Mittelland Canal started in 1906, starting from Bergeshövede (municipality Hörstel) on the Dortmund-Ems Canal. The section to Minden on the Weser was opened in February 1915 and was initially named Ems-Weser-Kanal. The section from Minden to Hanover was finished in the autumn of 1916. The section to Sehnde and the branch canal to Hildesheim were completed in 1928, Peine was reached in 1929, and Braunschweig in 1933. The final section to Magdeburg was opened in 1938, thus creating a direct link between Western and Eastern Germany. The branch canal to Salzgitter was opened in 1941. The planned canal bridge over the Elbe, necessary to avoid low water conditions in summer, was not built due to the Second World War. After partitioning of Germany following the Second World War, the Mittelland Canal was split between West Germany and East Germany, with the border to the east of Wolfsburg. To provide access from the western section of the canal to Hamburg and Northern Germany, avoiding both East Germany and the Elbe River's sometimes limited navigability, the Elbe Lateral Canal was opened in 1977. Since the Revolutions of 1989 (fall of the Iron curtain, reunification of Germany, dissolution of the Eastern Bloc, Enlargements of the European Union), the importance of the Mittelland Canal as a link from the west to Berlin and the east has grown. The project to bridge the Elbe was therefore restarted. The Magdeburg Water Bridge opened in 2003, providing a direct link to the Elbe-Havel Canal. In 2013, the plan to connect the channel to the Twentekanaal in the Netherlands to shorten the connection towards the Port of Rotterdam was considered to be unprofitable. Until its closure on 1 April 2024, the Mehrum Power Station received its supply of bituminous coal via the canal.
Reader's Guide
The Mittelland Canal branches off the Dortmund-Ems Canal at Hörstel (near Rheine, at 52°16′37″N 7°36′18″E), runs north along the Teutoburg Forest, past Hanover and meets with the Elbe River near Magdeburg (52°14′46″N 11°44′49″E). Near Magdeburg it connects to the Elbe-Havel Canal, making a continuous shipping route to Berlin and on to Poland. At Minden the canal crosses the river Weser over two aqueducts (completed in 1914 and 1998, respectively), and near Magdeburg it crosses the Elbe, also with an aqueduct. Connections by side canals exist at Ibbenbüren, Osnabrück, Minden (two canals connecting to the Weser), Hanover-Linden, Hanover-Misburg, Hildesheim and Salzgitter. West of Wolfsburg, the Elbe Lateral Canal branches off, providing a connection to Hamburg, and (via the Elbe-Lübeck Canal) to the Baltic Sea. The Magdeburg Water Bridge, opened in 2003, provides a direct link to the Elbe-Havel Canal, enabling continuous shipping to Berlin and Poland. The canal's history reflects Germany's 20th-century divisions and reunification, with its role growing after the fall of the Iron Curtain.
Did You Know?
- The Mittelland Canal is the longest artificial waterway in Germany, at 325.7 kilometres (202.4 mi).
- The section to Minden opened in February 1915 and was initially named Ems-Weser-Kanal.
- The Magdeburg Water Bridge, which provides a direct link to the Elbe-Havel Canal, opened in 2003.
- Until its closure on 1 April 2024, the Mehrum Power Station received its supply of bituminous coal via the canal.
- In 2013, a plan to connect the canal to the Twentekanaal in the Netherlands was considered unprofitable.
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