Rhine-Main-Danube Canal, Commercial waterway in Bavaria, Germany
Rhine-Main-Danube Canal is a waterway in Bavaria that links the Main near Bamberg to the Danube near Kelheim. This shipping route runs through hilly countryside in Franconia and Upper Bavaria, rising and falling through sixteen locks that manage the difference in elevation between both rivers.
The idea of joining both river systems goes back to 793 when Charlemagne ordered a first canal dug. The current waterway took shape between 1960 and 1992 after decades of planning and large-scale construction work.
The canal represents German engineering excellence, enabling continuous navigation from the North Sea to the Black Sea across multiple European nations.
Those who cycle or walk along the waterway find paths running beside both banks. Lock chambers can be observed up close while cargo vessels take several minutes to pass through and are easy to follow.
Along the route, Hilpoltstein lock achieves a drop of 81 feet (24.7 meters), making it the highest single step in the entire canal system. This shows just how much the terrain climbs and falls between both river valleys.
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