Donaukanal

For the canal linking the Danube to the Black Sea, see Danube – Black Sea Canal.
The Donaukanal in the inner city, viewed from Ringturm towards Schwedenplatz, on the left bank is Leopoldstadt
The Döblinger Steg bridge over the Donaukanal
The canal bank in summer
The Schwedenplatz boat terminal by night
The Donaukanal in 1855

The Donaukanal (German: [ˈdoːnaʊ̯kaˌnaːl] ⓘ, Danube Canal) is a former arm of the river Danube, now regulated as a water channel (since 1598), within the city of Vienna, Austria. It is 17.3 kilometres (10.7 mi) long and, unlike the Danube itself, it borders Vienna's city centre, Innere Stadt, where the Wien River (Wienfluss) flows into it.[1]

The Donaukanal bifurcates from the main river at the Nußdorf weir and lock complex, in Döbling, and joins it again just upstream of the "Praterspitz", at the Prater park in Simmering. The island thus formed between the Donaukanal and the Danube holds two of the 23 districts of Vienna: Brigittenau (20th District) and Leopoldstadt (2nd District). The canal is crossed by fifteen road bridges and five rail bridges.[1]

Because in German, the name Kanal, which has been used since about 1700, evokes associations of an open sewer, attempts at renaming the Donaukanal have been made (one suggestion was Kleine Donau—Little Danube) but have not met with success.[citation needed]

  1. ^ a b "Donaukanal", aeiou Encyclopedia (see below: External links).