Elbe Tunnel, Underwater tunnel in St. Pauli, Germany
The Elbe Tunnel runs 426.5 meters (1,400 feet) beneath the river through two parallel tubes, each 6 meters (20 feet) in diameter and reaching 24 meters (79 feet) below the surface. Both tubes are connected by a tiled pedestrian passage linking the St. Pauli landing stage to the southern harbor shore.
Construction began in 1907 and employed 4,400 workers who completed the first fixed link between central Hamburg and the southern shipyards in 1911. Caisson methods allowed safe work beneath the riverbed despite the high water pressure overhead.
Glazed tiles along the walls show fish, crabs and other river creatures from the Elbe waters. These ceramic works give the passage a crafted feel that walkers notice as they cross beneath the water.
Access remains free all year for pedestrians and cyclists, while motor vehicles have been prohibited since 2023. Large lifts inside a square domed building at the St. Pauli landing stage carry visitors down to the passage below.
The ventilation shafts above the entrance resemble two green towers and were the tallest structures along the harbor when completed. These towers house machinery for ventilation and drainage that still regulates airflow beneath the river today.
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