Century connecting channel

Corinth Canal - A Road Through History

The Corinth Canal is the gateway-free shipping channel in Greece connecting the Saronic Gulf of the Aegean and the Corinthian Gulf of the Ionian Seas.

The canal was dug through a bottleneck on the Isthmus of Corinth. At this point, the Peloponnese peninsula connects with central Greece.

The canal began to be used in the 19th century, more precisely in 1893, but the decision to build such a waterway was made many, many years ago. Only six kilometers of land will divide the Aegean Sea and the Gulf of Corinth. This is not much at all, and even in the seventh century BC, the local king and tyrant Periander wanted to dig this canal in order to draw a waterway.

Since then, attempts to create a channel have not stopped. The fact is that the opening of such a water route would make it possible to do without a long and dangerous voyage around the Peloponnese Peninsula. Many shallows, islands and dangerous rocks, difficult navigation made this route very difficult for sailors and the canal would solve all these problems.

Attempts to dig such a channel have been at all times. Julius Caesar, Caligula and Nero - all these rulers of the world tried to build such a channel, but for various reasons could not do it.

After the world began to build other large canals, such as Suez and Panama, in Greece there was again talk of construction.

And so, in 1881, the construction of the Corinth Canal began. French companies began to build, but as a result of funding problems, the company stopped. Based on the work done, Greek specialists continued the construction and as a result the canal was built.

The channel was an important infrastructure and income-generating. The problems began in 1941. Then the troops of the Nazi invaders landed on both sides of the canal and captured bridges.

There was a terrible and unequal battle. As a result of the battle, Greek soldiers were able to destroy the bridge over the canal, which made it possible for the Allied forces to retreat and regroup.

But then the Germans were stronger.

In 1944, the Germans were already retreating. They blew up important strategic targets. The Corinth Canal was among such objects. The Germans piled him with stones, abandoned equipment and all other possible means.

The channel stopped working until 1948.

But with the development of maritime transport, aviation and other vehicles, the value of the channel decreased. Since the canal itself was not very wide and only one vessel could pass through it at a time, the width of which could not be more than 20 meters, many large ocean vessels were not able to pass through this canal.

Today the canal is an object of cultural and historical heritage. Of course, it is used for its intended purpose, but this does not bring the profit that all the rulers of Greece had counted on, starting with Pariander.

I ended up on the bridge over the canal when I was driving from Athens to the Peloponnesian Peninsula. I knew that this channel exists and that my route intersects with the channel, but I did not know what this channel looks like.

The view of the narrow gap in the rocks at the bottom of which is blue with water is impressive. The length of the canal is not long and you can see its ends and be surprised at how little and at the same time you had to do a lot to dig these six kilometers and connect two seas together.

This work is worthy of the gods who patronize Greece.

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