Corinth Canal
The Corinth canal is an artificially created canal which cuts through the isthmus of Corinth, the isthmus which connects Peloponnese with mainland Greece. The canal connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic gulf (the Ionian sea with the Aegean sea) and its purpose was to facilitate and shorten the route of sea vessels, since the journey around Peloponnese is about 700 km. It is 6 km long, 21 meters wide and 90 meters high.
Although many dreamed about cutting the canal in antiquity, the project was started in 1882 and executed by the Hungarian engineers István Türr and Béla Gerster. The construction was completed in 1893 but it was not actually used until 1948 due to landslides of the walls and damages caused by the Germans during the World War II.
Today the Corinth canal is functioning but it is not much of use because it is too narrow and does not allow contemporary ships and ferries to pass through it. Even small boats and tourist ships should pass in a line and in a one-way direction at a time. The canal is crossed by a highway, a railway and a local road. If you want to visit it, you should go to the road that crosses it - there are safe passages along the bridge from you can see the canal. Next to the bridge there are some cafeterias, souvenir shops and a company which offers bungee jumping into the canal.
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highlights: canal cut through the Corinth isthmus, historic sight in Corinthia Region, Peloponnese, Greece