- Piast canal
The Piast Canal ( _de. Kaiserfahrt, _pl. Kanał Piastowski) is a
canal that connects theOder Lagoon with theBaltic Sea , more exactly with the northern part of theŚwina river. The eastern part of the river is bypassed, providing a more convenient south-north connection for large ships.The canal, approximately 12 km long and ten metres deep, was dug by the
German Empire between1874 and1880 , during the reign of the first Kaiser Wilhelm (1797-1888). Thus it was not named after his grandson Kaiser Wilhelm II (1859-1941) which was famous for his interest in seafaring and battleships. Baptized as Kaiserfahrt ( _de. Emperor Way), the canal allows ships from theBaltic Sea to reach the industrial city of Stettin (Szczecin ) more easily.After the canal was opened, the town of Swinemünde (
Świnoujście ) began to diminish in importance as a German harbour. Another side effect was that the eastern part of the islandUsedom was out off, creating an island that was name after its largest village,Kaseburg (Karsibor).After 1945, the area was put under Polish administration, and the canal was named after the
Piast dynasty.
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