![Wrestedt - Schleuse Uelzen - Unterwasser 01 ies](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Wrestedt_-_Schleuse_Uelzen_-_Unterwasser_01_ies.jpg)
The Elbe Lateral Canal (german: Elbe-Seitenkanal; ), is a long
canal
Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flow un ...
in
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony (german: Niedersachsen ; nds, Neddersassen; stq, Läichsaksen) is a German state (') in northwestern Germany. It is the second-largest state by land area, with , and fourth-largest in population (8 million in 2021) among the 16 ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. It runs from the
Mittelland Canal
The Mittelland Canal, also known as the Midland Canal, (german: Mittellandkanal, ) is a major canal in central Germany. It forms an important link in the waterway network of that country, providing the principal east-west inland waterway connec ...
near
Gifhorn
Gifhorn () is a town and capital of the district of Gifhorn in the east of Lower Saxony, Germany. It has a population of about 42,000 and is mainly influenced by the small distance to the more industrial and commercially important cities nearby, ...
to the
Elbe
The Elbe (; cs, Labe ; nds, Ilv or ''Elv''; Upper and dsb, Łobjo) is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Giant Mountains of the northern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia (western half of the Czech Repu ...
in
Artlenburg
Artlenburg is a municipality in the district of Lüneburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russi ...
. It forms an important transport connection between southern and northern Germany, and it provides a bypass of a section of the Elbe with limited navigability. At the construction start it was also thought as a bypass outside the
GDR, considered politically unreliable.
Construction of the Elbe Lateral Canal was started in 1968, and the canal was opened in June 1976. Due to a dam rupture, it was closed from July 1976 until June 1977. The difference in elevation between the Mittelland Canal and the Elbe is , which is overcome by a
lock
Lock(s) may refer to:
Common meanings
*Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance
*Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal
Arts and entertainment
* ''Lock ...
at
Uelzen
Uelzen (; officially the ''Hanseatic Town of Uelzen'', German: ''Hansestadt Uelzen'', , Low German ''Ülz’n'') is a town in northeast Lower Saxony, Germany, and capital of the county of Uelzen. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, a ...
and the
Scharnebeck twin ship lift, a
boat lift
A boat lift, ship lift, or lift lock is a machine for transporting boats between water at two different elevations, and is an alternative to the canal lock.
It may be vertically moving, like the Anderton boat lift in England, rotational, like ...
at
Scharnebeck
Scharnebeck is a municipality in the district of Lüneburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approximately northeast of Lüneburg. The Scharnebeck twin ship lift on the Elbe Lateral Canal
The Elbe Lateral Canal (german: Elbe-Seitenk ...
. There are small
port
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...
s along the canal in
Lüneburg
Lüneburg (officially the ''Hanseatic City of Lüneburg'', German: ''Hansestadt Lüneburg'', , Low German ''Lümborg'', Latin ''Luneburgum'' or ''Lunaburgum'', Old High German ''Luneburc'', Old Saxon ''Hliuni'', Polabian ''Glain''), also calle ...
, Uelzen and
Wittingen
Wittingen () is a town in the district of Gifhorn, Lower Saxony, Germany. It is about northeast of Gifhorn, and southeast of Uelzen.
Division of the town
Wittingen consists of 27 districts:
History
The earliest identified record of Wittin ...
, and a landing stage at Wulfstorf (near
Bienenbüttel
Bienenbüttel is a free municipality in the district of Uelzen, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the river Ilmenau, approximately north of Uelzen, and southeast of Lüneburg. Bienenbüttel is a part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Regi ...
).
Cities and villages on Elbe Lateral Canal
From south to north:
*
Samtgemeinde Isenbüttel
* Samtgemeinde
Boldecker Land
Boldecker Land is a municipality in the district of Gifhorn, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated along the river Aller, approx. 12 km east of Gifhorn, and 8 km northwest of Wolfsburg. Its seat is in the village Weyhausen.
Politic ...
*
Sassenburg
Sassenburg is a municipality in the district of Gifhorn, Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approximately 7 km northeast of Gifhorn, and 15 km northwest of Wolfsburg
Wolfsburg (; Eastphalian: ''Wulfsborg'') is the fifth larges ...
*
Samtgemeinde Hankensbüttel
A ''Samtgemeinde'' (; plural: ''Samtgemeinden'') is a type of administrative division in Lower Saxony, Germany. ''Samtgemeinden'' are local government associations of municipalities, equivalent to the '' Ämter'' in Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenbu ...
*
Schönewörde
Schönewörde is a municipality in the district of Gifhorn, in Lower Saxony, Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russ ...
*
Wittingen
Wittingen () is a town in the district of Gifhorn, Lower Saxony, Germany. It is about northeast of Gifhorn, and southeast of Uelzen.
Division of the town
Wittingen consists of 27 districts:
History
The earliest identified record of Wittin ...
* Samtgemeinde
Aue
Aue may refer to:
* Aue (toponymy), a frequent element in German toponymy meaning "wetland; river island; river"
Places
* Aue, Saxony, a mining town in Saxony, Germany
* Aue (Samtgemeinde), a collective municipality in Uelzen District, Lower Sax ...
*
Uelzen
Uelzen (; officially the ''Hanseatic Town of Uelzen'', German: ''Hansestadt Uelzen'', , Low German ''Ülz’n'') is a town in northeast Lower Saxony, Germany, and capital of the county of Uelzen. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, a ...
*
Bad Bevensen
*
Bienenbüttel
Bienenbüttel is a free municipality in the district of Uelzen, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the river Ilmenau, approximately north of Uelzen, and southeast of Lüneburg. Bienenbüttel is a part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Regi ...
*
Wendisch Evern
Wendisch Evern is a municipality in the district of Lüneburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany.
Recent history (Second World War)
On 4 May 1945 on the ''Timeloberg'' hill at the edge of Deutsch Evern a German delegation under the command of Hans-Geo ...
*
Lüneburg
Lüneburg (officially the ''Hanseatic City of Lüneburg'', German: ''Hansestadt Lüneburg'', , Low German ''Lümborg'', Latin ''Luneburgum'' or ''Lunaburgum'', Old High German ''Luneburc'', Old Saxon ''Hliuni'', Polabian ''Glain''), also calle ...
*
Scharnebeck
Scharnebeck is a municipality in the district of Lüneburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approximately northeast of Lüneburg. The Scharnebeck twin ship lift on the Elbe Lateral Canal
The Elbe Lateral Canal (german: Elbe-Seitenk ...
*
Adendorf
*
Artlenburg
Artlenburg is a municipality in the district of Lüneburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russi ...
References
Wasser- und Schifffahrtsamt Uelzen
{{Authority control
Canals in Lower Saxony
Federal waterways in Germany
Canals opened in 1976
CElbeLateral