The Finowkanal totals 42 kilometres in length and was commissioned by the Prussian king, Frederick II. On June 16, 1746, a ship carrying 100 tonnes of salt was the first to pass through the new waterway. Today the Finowkanal is Germany’s oldest man-made waterway still in use. The elevation gain between the River Havel and the River Oder is overcome using 12 historic, hand-operated locks as well as one automatic lock installed along the canal. The locks were built using the so-called ‘Finow baysize’, which was established by Prussian royal order as the first standardised measurement for inland shipping. Today the tow path along the Finowkanal from Finowfurt to the Niederfinow boat lift is a popular cycling and hiking trail, and the canal itself attracts a great many water tourists.
