Sluice Smíchov, Navigation lock in Smíchov district, Czech Republic
Sluice Smíchov is a water step on the Vltava at river kilometre 53.80, made up of two older weirs, Šítkov and Staroměstský, and a system of navigation locks. The Smíchov lock chamber, built between 1911 and 1922 to F. Sandr's design by František Schön a synové, lies by the left bank under Petržilkovský Island and has square consecutive gates.
The lock was built between 1911 and 1922, replacing two older dams that previously impeded river flow. This project reflected Prague's drive to modernize its waterway infrastructure during the early 1900s.
The weirs once had sluice gates used for log floating; they stay closed except during the annual Napříč Prahou – přes tři jezy race. The lock's canal also feeds the Čertovka branch through a covered channel, keeping the mill race beside Kampa supplied with water.
You can watch the lock operations from Janáček Embankment, which offers good viewing spots and clear sight lines. The site is easily accessible by tram and bus, with no special requirements to observe from nearby vantage points.
The sluice's weirs, the Šítkov and Staroměstské jezy, are permanently closed except during the annual Napříč Prahou – přes tři jezy race, when boats pass through them. The Smíchov lock chamber is the busiest on the Vltava: in 1998 it handled 17,844 boats and 196,481 tonnes of cargo.
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