Corinth Canal #2
The Corinth Canal in Greece is a remarkable 6.4 km (4-mile) waterway linking the Ionian Sea with the Aegean Sea, cutting through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth. Its steep walls rise up to 79 meters, though the canal is just 21 meters wide, restricting modern ship traffic to small vessels and tourist boats.
Historically, rulers like Periander (7th century BC) and Roman Emperor Nero (1st century AD) envisioned a canal to save ships the 700 km journey around the Peloponnese. Nero even began the work, famously using thousands of slaves, but the project was abandoned after his death. The canal was finally completed in 1893, after over a decade of construction by a French engineering company.
The Corinth Canal has seen notable historical events, including its strategic importance during World War II. In 1941, during the German invasion of Greece, retreating British forces blew up bridges over the canal to slow the German advance, though the Germans later repaired them. Despite its limitations for modern shipping, the canal is a significant tourist destination and a symbol of human engineering ambition.