Wasser- und Schifffahrtsamt Kiel-Holtenau
Schleuseninsel 2
24159 Kiel
Tel.: 0431 3603-0
Fax: 0431 3603-414

The North Sea-Baltic-Canal is over 100 years old. But it hasn't lost any of its attractiveness. Ca 60.000 guests visit annually the lock facilities. The visitor steps onto historical canal ground right at the start of the lock guided tour.

Image Copyright: Jens Th�l

History
The rudiments of the Old Eider-Canal, predecessor of the North Sea-Baltic-Canal, serves today as drainage sluice. The old Eider-Canal operated for around 100 years and lost its importance with the start of the steam navigation.
At a big clinker building, that imposingly represents the Wilhelminian Style, resided once the Imperial Canal Commission. The "Wasser und Schifffahrtsamt Kiel-Holtenau" (Water and Shipping Board) as succession authority takes care of the safety on the North Sea-Baltic-Canal and the building and maintenance of the facility.

The Old Locks from 1895, only work during the summer months. They were the biggest facilities in hydraulic engineering, impressively 125m long, 22m wide, 98m deep. Every lock chamber has four mitre gate pairs, two flood and two low tide gate pairs.

The models of the first canal bridges Holtenau and Levensau and also the 25 tons heavy imperial eagle, which adorned then the towers of the Levensau high bridge, document the impressive development of bridge architecture over the North-Baltic Sea Canal.

Around 37.000 ships used in 1998, the path through the North Baltic Sea Canal, which spares them the detour via Skargen. Thus, the North Baltic Sea Canal is one of the world's most used sea canals ...

A detailed cruise liner list of the ships, which ship through the North Baltic Sea Canal in summer, is available here!

The contents of this page has kindly been made available by
KIEL MAGAZIN from House Dumrath & Fassnacht
!