The Corinth Canal connects the Gulf of Corinth
in the Ionian Sea
with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea.
The artificial canal was cut through
the narrow Isthmus of Corinth.
It separates the Peloponnese from the Greek mainland.
It has no locks and was dug through at sea level.
It is 4 miles long and only 80.7 feet wide.
This makes it impassable for many modern ships today.
So it has become basically a tourist attraction
instead of a commercial venture.
Many beginning attempts were looked
at before the first century, but nothing actually happened.
The project was then attempted in the 1st century AD,
by Nero, but it was a failed effort.
The idea of a canal was revived after Greece
gained independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1830.
Not until 1881 did they try again in the construction,
but geological problems and financial failure
halted the project.
Finally in 1893 it was completed.
But the narrowness of the canal,
challenges with navigation and closures
due to landslides have limited its usefulness.
It suffered extensive damage during WWII
as the Germans left it unusable.
The US Corps of Engineers restored in months later.
The traffic has never risen to the projected level
of use they had hoped.
The canal has been closed since 2021 to repair landslides
and was slated to reopen in 2023.
But, the latest update now says it won't be until 2024.
On our visit we ate at a nearby restaurant
and were able
to walk over to see the canal.
An engineering feat for sure.
