Canal lock Kiel Holtenau, Canal lock system in Kiel, Germany
The Kiel-Holtenau lock is a port facility at the entrance of the Kiel Canal between Kiel Fjord and the canal entrance. It regulates water levels between the North Sea and Baltic Sea using large chambers that ships pass through.
The facility was built in the late 1800s as part of the Kiel Canal to make Schleswig-Holstein an important trading point. Since its completion, it significantly improved shipping traffic between the North Sea and Baltic Sea.
The lock bears the name of the Holtenau district and connects two different seas together. Visitors watch ships from around the world pass through daily, shaping local maritime activity.
The area is easily reached by public bus and from the waterfront promenade visitors can watch ships passing through. The best time to watch is during the day when shipping traffic is most active.
The lock is one of the largest of its kind in Europe and can raise and lower huge container ships in just hours. This engineering feat regularly draws vessels from distant countries that travel through the canal.
Location: Kiel
Part of: Kiel Canal
GPS coordinates: 54.36811,10.14103
Latest update: December 6, 2025 19:03
Navigation locks are engineering structures that enable ships to pass through significant elevation changes between seas, lakes, and rivers. From the Panama Canal, where vessels rise 86 feet (26 meters) to cross the Isthmus, to the Three Gorges Dam in China, featuring five-stage locks managing a...
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