Plauer Canal

canal, Germany

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Last updated

July 1, 2026

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The Plauer Canal is a historical waterway in Germany that linked the Elbe and Havel rivers. Completed in 1746, it was part of an effort to connect major German rivers for commercial and political reasons, allowing for the bypassing of tolls within the Holy Roman Empire. This canal, 24 km (15 miles) long, was an early example of canal construction in Germany that foreshadowed the extensive network developed over many years. It played a role in establishing a system of waterways in Brandenburg, connecting the Spree and Oder rivers as well.1

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canals and inland waterways
Germany
…with the opening of the Plauer Canal in 1746, which ran from the Elbe to the Havel. The 40-km (25-mile) Finow Canal along the Havel to the Liepe, a tributary of the Oder, had been built earlier but fell into decay because of flooding and neglect and was not rebuilt…
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…with the opening of the Plauer Canal in 1746, which ran from the Elbe to the Havel. The 40-km (25-mile) Finow Canal along the Havel to the Liepe, a tributary of the Oder, had been built earlier but fell into decay because of flooding and neglect and was not rebuilt…
Read More