A Marvel of Engineering

During the two week period of our Splendours of Europe river cruise we will travel 1800 kilometres along five separate waterways.  The ship will pass under 600 bridges and move through 68 locks.

The locks are necessary to move our vessel from one water level to the next, typically 3 meters at a time.

The locks are only 12 metres wide and, as our ship measures 11.4 metres across, it is very squeezy inside.

Once our ship is inside the lock, the back gate shuts, water is pumped in and, when our water level reaches that of the next level, the front gates are opened and we continue on our journey.


Yesterday, on the Rhine-Mein-Danube Canal, we travelled through a lock measuring an enormous 25 metres in height.  

The Rhine-Mein-Danube Canal is a marvel of engineering which was built to create a short cut for cargo ships travelling along the Rhine and Danube Rivers.  When the canal was completed in 1992, after 32 years of construction, it was twice the length of the Panama Canal and had cost 2.1 billion Euros to build; that equates to 11 million euros per kilometer!

It is 31 metres wide, just wide enough for two ships to pass each other.  There are 16 locks along its 171km length.  At its highest point it is an astonishing 406 meters above sea level.


The amazing thing I noticed yesterday as we cruised along the canal was that our waterway was ABOVE the road!

I cannot fathom how this works but I do know that this modern engineering masterpiece has enabled us to comfortably cruise between ancient waterways, appreciating every minute of it.

I'll be back tomorrow to show you photos from the beautiful Danube river.

Bis dann, gute Nacht!