The Main () is the longest
tributary
A tributary, or an ''affluent'', is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream (''main stem'' or ''"parent"''), river, or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries, and the main stem river into which they ...
of the
Rhine
The Rhine ( ) is one of the List of rivers of Europe, major rivers in Europe. The river begins in the Swiss canton of Graubünden in the southeastern Swiss Alps. It forms part of the Swiss-Liechtenstein border, then part of the Austria–Swit ...
, one of the major
European rivers. It rises as the
White Main in the
Fichtel Mountains
The Fichtel Mountains (, ; ) is a mountain range in Germany and the Czech Republic. They extend from the valley of the Red Main River in northeastern Bavaria to the Karlovy Vary Region in western Czech Republic. The Fichtel Mountains contain an ...
of northeastern
Bavaria
Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a States of Germany, state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the list of German states by area, largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total l ...
and flows west through central
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
for to meet the
Rhine
The Rhine ( ) is one of the List of rivers of Europe, major rivers in Europe. The river begins in the Swiss canton of Graubünden in the southeastern Swiss Alps. It forms part of the Swiss-Liechtenstein border, then part of the Austria–Swit ...
below
Rüsselsheim,
Hesse
Hesse or Hessen ( ), officially the State of Hesse (), is a States of Germany, state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt, which is also the country's principal financial centre. Two other major hist ...
. The cities of
Mainz
Mainz (; #Names and etymology, see below) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, and with around 223,000 inhabitants, it is List of cities in Germany by population, Germany's 35th-largest city. It lies in ...
and
Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden (; ) is the capital of the German state of Hesse, and the second-largest Hessian city after Frankfurt am Main. With around 283,000 inhabitants, it is List of cities in Germany by population, Germany's 24th-largest city. Wiesbaden form ...
are close to the confluence.
The largest cities on the Main are
Frankfurt am Main
Frankfurt am Main () is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Hesse. Its 773,068 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the List of cities in Germany by population, fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located in the forela ...
,
Offenbach am Main
Offenbach am Main () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in Hesse, Germany, on the left bank of the river Main (river), Main. It borders Frankfurt and is part of the Frankfurt urban area and the larger Frankfurt Rhein-Main Regional Aut ...
and
Würzburg
Würzburg (; Main-Franconian: ) is, after Nuremberg and Fürth, the Franconia#Towns and cities, third-largest city in Franconia located in the north of Bavaria. Würzburg is the administrative seat of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. It sp ...
. It is the longest river lying entirely in Germany (if the
Weser
The Weser () is a river of Lower Saxony in north-west Germany. It begins at Hannoversch Münden through the confluence of the Werra and Fulda. It passes through the Hanseatic city of Bremen. Its mouth is further north against the ports o ...
-
Werra
The Werra (), a river in central Germany, is the right-bank headwater of the Weser. "Weser" is a synonym in an old dialect of German. The Werra has its source near Eisfeld in southern Thuringia. After the Werra joins the river Fulda in the to ...
are considered separate).
Geography
The Main flows through the north and north-west of the
state
State most commonly refers to:
* State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory
**Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country
**Nation state, a ...
of
Bavaria
Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a States of Germany, state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the list of German states by area, largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total l ...
and then across southern
Hesse
Hesse or Hessen ( ), officially the State of Hesse (), is a States of Germany, state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt, which is also the country's principal financial centre. Two other major hist ...
; against the latter it demarcates a third state,
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg ( ; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a states of Germany, German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million i ...
, east and west of
Wertheim am Main, the northernmost town of that state.
The upper end of its
basin opposes that of the
Danube
The Danube ( ; see also #Names and etymology, other names) is the List of rivers of Europe#Longest rivers, second-longest river in Europe, after the Volga in Russia. It flows through Central and Southeastern Europe, from the Black Forest sou ...
where the watershed is recognised by natural biologists, sea salinity studies (and hydrology science more broadly) as the
European Watershed.
The Main begins near
Kulmbach in
Franconia
Franconia ( ; ; ) is a geographical region of Germany, characterised by its culture and East Franconian dialect (). Franconia is made up of the three (governmental districts) of Lower Franconia, Lower, Middle Franconia, Middle and Upper Franco ...
at the joining of its two headstreams, the
Red Main (''Roter Main'') and the
White Main (''Weißer Main''). The Red Main originates in the
Franconian Jura mountain range, in length, and runs through
Creussen and
Bayreuth
Bayreuth ( or ; High Franconian German, Upper Franconian: Bareid, ) is a Town#Germany, town in northern Bavaria, Germany, on the Red Main river in a valley between the Franconian Jura and the Fichtel Mountains. The town's roots date back to 11 ...
. The White Main originates in the
Fichtel Mountains
The Fichtel Mountains (, ; ) is a mountain range in Germany and the Czech Republic. They extend from the valley of the Red Main River in northeastern Bavaria to the Karlovy Vary Region in western Czech Republic. The Fichtel Mountains contain an ...
; it is long. In its upper and middle section, the Main runs through the valleys of the German Highlands. Its lower section crosses the Lower Main Lowlands (
Hanau-Seligenstadt Basin
The Hanau-Seligenstadt Basin is a subbasin of the Upper Rhine Graben southeast of Frankfurt am Main (Hesse, Bavaria, Germany).
Location
The Hanau-Seligenstadt Basin is located in the eastern part of the Lower Main lowlands. The river Main (r ...
and northern
Upper Rhine Plain
The Upper Rhine Plain, Rhine Rift Valley or Upper Rhine Graben ( German: ''Oberrheinische Tiefebene'', ''Oberrheinisches Tiefland'' or ''Oberrheingraben'', French: ''Vallée du Rhin'') is a major rift, about and on average , between Basel in the ...
) to
Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden (; ) is the capital of the German state of Hesse, and the second-largest Hessian city after Frankfurt am Main. With around 283,000 inhabitants, it is List of cities in Germany by population, Germany's 24th-largest city. Wiesbaden form ...
, where it discharges into the
Rhine
The Rhine ( ) is one of the List of rivers of Europe, major rivers in Europe. The river begins in the Swiss canton of Graubünden in the southeastern Swiss Alps. It forms part of the Swiss-Liechtenstein border, then part of the Austria–Swit ...
. Major tributaries of the Main are the
Regnitz, the
Franconian Saale
The Franconian Saale (, ) is a 140 km long river in Bavaria, Germany. It is a right-bank tributary of the Main (river), Main, in Lower Franconia. It should not be confused with the larger Saxon Saale (), which is a tributary of the Elbe Riv ...
, the
Tauber, and the
Nidda.
The name ''Main'' originates from
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
''Moenis'', ''Moenus'' or ''Menus''. It is not related to the name of the city
Mainz
Mainz (; #Names and etymology, see below) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, and with around 223,000 inhabitants, it is List of cities in Germany by population, Germany's 35th-largest city. It lies in ...
(Latin: ''
Mogontiacum'' or ''Moguntiacum'').
Navigation
The Main is navigable for shipping from its mouth at the Rhine close to Mainz for to
Bamberg
Bamberg (, , ; East Franconian German, East Franconian: ''Bambärch'') is a town in Upper Franconia district in Bavaria, Germany, on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main (river), Main. Bamberg had 79,000 inhabitants in ...
. Since 1992, the Main has been connected to the Danube via the
Rhine-Main-Danube Canal and the highly regulated
Altmühl river. The Main has been canalized with 34 large locks () to allow
CEMT class V vessels () to navigate the total length of the river. The 16 locks in the adjacent Rhine-Main-Danube Canal and the Danube itself are of the same dimensions.
Weirs and locks

There are 34 weirs and locks along the 380 km navigable portion of the Main, from the confluence with the Regnitz near Bamberg, to the Rhine.
* No.: Number of the lock (from upstream to downstream).
* Name: Name of the lock.
* Location: City or town where the lock is located.
* Year built: Year when the lock was put into operation (replacement dates are also listed where applicable).
* Main-km: Location on the Main, measured from the 0 km stone in Mainz-Kostheim. The reference point is the center of the lock or lock group.
* Distance between locks: length in km of impoundment (between adjacent locks).
* Altitude: Height in meters above mean sea level of the upper water at normal levels.
* Height: Height of the dam in meters (the height of the Kostheim lock depends on the water level of the Rhine).
* Lock length: Usable length of the lock chamber in meters.
* Lock width: Usable width of the lock chamber in meters.
Hydroelectric power generation
Most of the weirs or dams along the Main also have turbines for power generation.
* No.: Number of the dam/weir (from upstream to downstream).
* Name: Name of the dam/weir.
* Height: Height of the dam/weir in meters (the height of the Kostheim dam depends on the water level of the Rhine).
* Power: Maximum power generation capacity in megawatts.
* Turbines: Type and number of turbines.
* Operator: Operator of the hydroelectric plant.
Tributaries
Tributaries
A tributary, or an ''affluent'', is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream ('' main stem'' or ''"parent"''), river, or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries, and the main stem river into which the ...
from source to mouth:
Left
*
Regnitz
*
Tauber
*
Mümling
Right
*
Rodach (Main)
*
Itz
*
Franconian Saale
The Franconian Saale (, ) is a 140 km long river in Bavaria, Germany. It is a right-bank tributary of the Main (river), Main, in Lower Franconia. It should not be confused with the larger Saxon Saale (), which is a tributary of the Elbe Riv ...
*
Aschaff
*
Kahl
*
Kinzig
*
Nidda
File:Mainfest Frankfurt.jpg, The Main in Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main () is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Hesse. Its 773,068 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the List of cities in Germany by population, fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located in the forela ...
at night
Image:Offenbach 4.jpg, The Main in Offenbach am Main
Offenbach am Main () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in Hesse, Germany, on the left bank of the river Main (river), Main. It borders Frankfurt and is part of the Frankfurt urban area and the larger Frankfurt Rhein-Main Regional Aut ...
Image:Mainspitze fg01.JPG, Confluence into the Rhine at Mainz-Kostheim
Ports and municipalities
Around Frankfurt are several large inland ports. Because the river is rather narrow on many of the upper reaches, navigation with larger vessels and push convoys requires great skill.
The largest cities along the Main are
Frankfurt am Main
Frankfurt am Main () is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Hesse. Its 773,068 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the List of cities in Germany by population, fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located in the forela ...
,
Offenbach am Main
Offenbach am Main () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in Hesse, Germany, on the left bank of the river Main (river), Main. It borders Frankfurt and is part of the Frankfurt urban area and the larger Frankfurt Rhein-Main Regional Aut ...
and
Würzburg
Würzburg (; Main-Franconian: ) is, after Nuremberg and Fürth, the Franconia#Towns and cities, third-largest city in Franconia located in the north of Bavaria. Würzburg is the administrative seat of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. It sp ...
. The Main also passes the following towns:
Burgkunstadt,
Lichtenfels,
Bad Staffelstein,
Eltmann,
Haßfurt
Haßfurt (; English: Hassfurt) is a town in Bavaria, Germany, capital of the Haßberge (district), Haßberge district. It is situated on the river Main (river), Main, 20 km east of Schweinfurt and 30 km northwest of Bamberg. In 1852, Ludw ...
,
Schweinfurt
Schweinfurt ( , ; ) is a town#Germany, city in the district of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany. It is the administrative centre of the surrounding Schweinfurt (district), district (''Landkreis'') of Schweinfurt and a major industrial, cultur ...
,
Volkach,
Kitzingen
Kitzingen () is a town in the Germany, German state of Bavaria, capital of the Kitzingen (district), district Kitzingen. It is part of the Franconia geographical region and has around 21,000 inhabitants. Surrounded by vineyards, Kitzingen County i ...
,
Marktbreit,
Ochsenfurt,
Karlstadt,
Gemünden,
Lohr,
Marktheidenfeld,
Wertheim,
Miltenberg
Miltenberg () is a town in the ''Regierungsbezirk'' of Lower Franconia (''Unterfranken'') in Bavaria, Germany. It is the seat of the Miltenberg (district), like-named district and has a population of over 9,000.
Geography
Location
The old ...
,
Obernburg,
Erlenbach/Main,
Aschaffenburg
Aschaffenburg (; Hessian: ''Aschebersch'', ) is a town in northwest Bavaria, Germany. The town of Aschaffenburg, despite being its administrative seat, is not part of the district of Aschaffenburg.
Aschaffenburg belonged to the Archbishopric ...
,
Seligenstadt,
Hainburg,
Hanau
Hanau () is a city in the Main-Kinzig-Kreis, in Hesse, Germany. It is 25 km east of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main and part of the Frankfurt Rhine-Main, Frankfurt Rhine-Main Metropolitan Region. Its railway Hanau Hauptbahnhof, station is a ma ...
,
Hattersheim,
Flörsheim, and
Rüsselsheim.
The river has gained enormous importance as a vital part of European "
Corridor VII", the inland waterway link from
the North Sea to the
Black Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal sea, marginal Mediterranean sea (oceanography), mediterranean sea lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bound ...
.
Main line
In a historical and political sense, the Main line is referred to as the northern border of
Southern Germany, with its predominantly
Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
population. The river roughly marked the southern border of the
North German Federation, established in 1867 under
Prussian leadership as the predecessor of the
German Empire
The German Empire (),; ; World Book, Inc. ''The World Book dictionary, Volume 1''. World Book, Inc., 2003. p. 572. States that Deutsches Reich translates as "German Realm" and was a former official name of Germany. also referred to as Imperia ...
.
The river course also corresponds with the
Speyer line isogloss between
Central and
Upper German dialects, sometimes mocked as ''
Weißwurstäquator''.
Recreation
The
Main-Radweg is a major German bicycle path alongside the river. Approximately , it is the first long-distance instance awarded 5 stars by the General German Bicycle Club (
ADFC) in 2008. It starts from
Creußen or
Bischofsgrün and ends in
Mainz
Mainz (; #Names and etymology, see below) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, and with around 223,000 inhabitants, it is List of cities in Germany by population, Germany's 35th-largest city. It lies in ...
.
Sights
*
Roman camp at Marktbreit
See also
*
Chain boat navigation on the Main
*
Krassach (River)
Notes and references
Footnotes
Citations
Bibliography
* Haus der Bayerischen Geschichte (ed.), Main und Meer - Porträt eines Flusses. Exhibition Catalogue to the Bayerische Landesausstellung 2013 (German). WBG. .
External links
''Main River''Website on the River Main by the Tourist Board of Franconia.
*
*
*
Water levels of Bavarian riversMain CyclewayHistorical map of the Main confluence at Steinenhausenfrom ''BayernAtlas''
{{Authority control
Rivers of Hesse
Rivers of Bavaria
Rivers of Baden-Württemberg
Geography of Frankfurt
Federal waterways in Germany
Rivers of Germany