CORNITH CANAL - @Rediscoveringworld1
The Corinth Canal is one of the most beautiful civil works of humanity. It is an artificial waterway built in Greece and inaugurated in 1893 that aims to connect the Gulf of Corinth with the Aegean Sea. This Canal is used only by small boats because of its width and depth. The Corinth Canal is located in the Isthmus of Corinth, which is a 6 km (3.7 mi) wide piece of land that joins the Peloponnesian peninsula with mainland Greece. Because the Corinth Canal crosses the Isthmus from side to side, it separates both Greek regions. The Corinth Canal is very important for the Greek economy because it allows direct transit between the Aegean Sea and the Gulf of Corinth.
The strip of land that connects the Peloponnese and mainland Greece is called the “Isthmus”. At its narrowest point, it is only 4 miles wide, and in ancient times, one could see from one side to the other.
Before the Corinth Canal was constructed, ships had to travel all around the Peloponnese, which added approximately 185 nautical miles, and several days more travel to their journey time.
The first serious attempt at the canals construction was by Emperor Nero, who in 67AD, announced to spectators at the Isthmian Games that he was going to dig the canal that would "connect the two seas".
Nero in fact dug the first piece of land out himself, using a golden pick, and carried this first basket of earth and turf on his own back. However, even though Nero had approximately 6000 slaves who would work on the canal, again, the plan never materialized, for several reasons, including financial ones.
The idea for the canal was left unfinished, until it was revived again during the late 1800’s. After several false starts, the Corinth Canal was finally completed, and put in use, on October 28th 1893. The work on the canal was carried out by a combination of French and Greek workmen. The Corinth Canal was actually based on the “Panama and Suez Canals”, and has often been referred to as the “step-child” of these canals.
The Corinth Canal is still in use today, though many newer and larger ships are too large to pass through any more. However, the canal is still used by many smaller ships, and there are also cruises organized where you can travel on a boat along the canal.
Today the canal is a popular tourist attraction and most vistors who are travelling to the Peloponnese will take a stop at the canal and take a look down at it. There are a number of cafes and places to eat around the canal, as well as various shops selling souveniers and other items. If you are spending some time close to the area you can take a canal cruise and admire the canal from the water, rather than from up on the bridge. From Athens it usually takes just over an hours drive to reach the canal, so it can also be a nice day trip if you are holidaying in the capital.
Facts about the Corinth Canal
Length: 6343 meters (3.94 miles)
Width at land level: 24.60 meters
Width at Sea Bed: 21.30 meters
Water Depth: 8 meters
Highest Point from Sea Level: 79 meters
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