Telemark canal
Encyclopedia
The Telemark Canal connects Skien
to Dalen
in southern Norway
by linking up several long lakes using a series of 18 locks
. It originally consisted of two canals: The Norsjø
-Skien
Canal, with locks in Skien
and Løveid was built in the period 1854–1861, and is the oldest of the two canals.
The other original canal – Bandak
-Nordsjø Canal – was opened in 1892 by then-Minister of Labour
Hans Hein Theodor Nysom
.http://www.telemarkskanalen.no/kanalweb/Dokumentbase.nsf/.XAppWPLookupNewsByUniversalID/AC5E63BFBF20C3C1C1256E2200428C56!OpenDocument In Europe
, this canal was seen as "the eighth wonder" when it was finished. The Bandak-Nordsjø Canal was mainly built for transport of goods and passengers, log floating and to prevent flooding. Log floating, however, is no longer practiced, due to the closing of Union - a local paper factory. An eastern section gives access to Notodden
via Lake Heddalsvatnet.
The Telemark Canal consists of 18 locks, is 105 km long and has a total difference in altitude of 72 m.
The biggest staircase lock is Vrangfoss which has five chambers and a lifting height of 23 m.
The passenger boats Henrik Ibsen and Victoria travel with tourists from Skien to Dalen
via Kviteseid
. Victoria has traveled through the Norsjø-Skien Canal since 1882, and on the Bandak-Norsjø Canal since its opening.
Skien
' is a city and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Skien. Skien is also the administrative centre of Telemark county....
to Dalen
Dalen, Telemark
Dalen is the administrative centre of Tokke municipality, Norway. Its population is 801 . Dalen is located on and around the delta where the river Tokke flows into the west end of the lake Bandak....
in southern Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
by linking up several long lakes using a series of 18 locks
Lock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
. It originally consisted of two canals: The Norsjø
Norsjø
I♥U Norsjø is a lake in Telemark, 55 km² in area. The lake is 15 meters above sea level.Most rivers in Telemark meet Norsjø on their way before ending up in the Skien river or Porsgrunn river. Norsjø is a source for drinking water to Skien Municipal. Norsjø is also a part of the Telemark...
-Skien
Skien
' is a city and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Skien. Skien is also the administrative centre of Telemark county....
Canal, with locks in Skien
Skien
' is a city and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Skien. Skien is also the administrative centre of Telemark county....
and Løveid was built in the period 1854–1861, and is the oldest of the two canals.
The other original canal – Bandak
Bandak
Bandak is a lake in the municipality of Kviteseid and Tokke in Telemark county, Norway. The lake, which is part of the Telemark Canal route, belongs to the Skien watershed...
-Nordsjø Canal – was opened in 1892 by then-Minister of Labour
Minister of Transport and Communications (Norway)
The Minister of Transport and Communications is a Councillor of State and Chief of the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications. Since 20 October 2009, the position has been held by Magnhild Meltveit Kleppa of the Centre Party...
Hans Hein Theodor Nysom
Hans Hein Theodor Nysom
Hans Hein Theodor Nysom was Norwegian politician for the Liberal Party.He originally made a career in the military, but from 1874 he worked with canals. From 1884 to 1892 he was the chairman of the Norwegian Polytechnic Society.He was appointed Minister of Auditing and Minister of Labour on 6...
.http://www.telemarkskanalen.no/kanalweb/Dokumentbase.nsf/.XAppWPLookupNewsByUniversalID/AC5E63BFBF20C3C1C1256E2200428C56!OpenDocument In Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, this canal was seen as "the eighth wonder" when it was finished. The Bandak-Nordsjø Canal was mainly built for transport of goods and passengers, log floating and to prevent flooding. Log floating, however, is no longer practiced, due to the closing of Union - a local paper factory. An eastern section gives access to Notodden
Notodden
is a town and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Øst-Telemark. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Notodden....
via Lake Heddalsvatnet.
The Telemark Canal consists of 18 locks, is 105 km long and has a total difference in altitude of 72 m.
The biggest staircase lock is Vrangfoss which has five chambers and a lifting height of 23 m.
The passenger boats Henrik Ibsen and Victoria travel with tourists from Skien to Dalen
Dalen, Telemark
Dalen is the administrative centre of Tokke municipality, Norway. Its population is 801 . Dalen is located on and around the delta where the river Tokke flows into the west end of the lake Bandak....
via Kviteseid
Kviteseid
Kviteseid is a municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Vest-Telemark. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Kviteseid...
. Victoria has traveled through the Norsjø-Skien Canal since 1882, and on the Bandak-Norsjø Canal since its opening.
Distribution of the 18 locks
| Lock | Lift height | Chambers | Lock passage time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skien | 5 m | 1 chamber | 20 min |
| Løveid | 10.3 m | 3 chambers | 35 min |
| Ulefoss Ulefoss Ulefoss is the administrative centre of Nome municipality, Norway. Its population is 2,699.-References:... |
10.7 m | 3 chambers | 40 min |
| Eidsfoss Eidsfoss Eidsfoss is a village in Hof municipality, in Vestfold county, Norway. It is located near Lake Eikeren.The village was the site of the Eidsfos Iron Works which dated to 1697. The iron works was closed during 1873. The village is also the location of the historic Eidsfos Manor which dates from... |
10 m | 2 chambers | 30 min |
| Vrangfoss | 23 m | 5 chambers | 60 min |
| Lunde Lunde Lunde is a common Norwegian and Danish surname. Lunde appears as a place name in Norway, Sweden and in a number of Danish locations in Jutland and on the island of Funen. The word Lunde can be translated from Norwegian to mean grove. Lunde is also the Norwegian name of the Atlantic Puffin... |
3 m | 1 chamber | 15 min |
| Kjeldal | 3 m | 1 chamber | 15 min |
| Hogga | 7 m | 2 chambers | 25 min |
Maximum traffic dimensions on the Telemark Canal
| Dimension | Meter | Feet | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mast height | 16 | 52.5 | limited to 12.8 m at Ulefoss–Dalen |
| Length | 31.4 | 100 | |
| Width | 6.6 | 21 | |
| Draft Draft (hull) The draft of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull , with the thickness of the hull included; in the case of not being included the draft outline would be obtained... |
2.5 | 8 | |