Schleuse Stuttgart-Hofen, Lock and hydroelectric facility on Neckar River in Stuttgart, Germany

Schleuse Stuttgart-Hofen is the 21st barrage on the Neckar measured from the Rhine, located in Stuttgart's Hofen district. The lock chamber sits beside a run-of-river power plant operated by EnBW, and the Hofener Brücke crosses over it, carrying the U12 and U14 Stadtbahn lines between Hofen and Mühlhausen. The lock is controlled remotely from the Obertürkheim barrage.

The facility was built between 1955 and 1957 as part of a project to develop the Neckar into a navigable waterway. Its completion created an important passageway that allowed larger boats and cargo vessels to travel through Stuttgart.

The lock connects different city districts and allows locals and visitors to access the river for recreation and transport. You can watch leisure boats and sporting vessels passing through regularly on their way along the waterway.

The best views are from the bridges and riverside walk that cross and follow the river. The facility is freely accessible and you can watch the activity and vessels pass through at any time.

Alongside the lock operates a power station that generates electricity while controlling water levels for navigation. This dual purpose makes it more than just a transport facility - it actively contributes to the city's power supply.