Windawski Canal
Encyclopedia
The Windawski Canal is an abandoned canal connecting the Dubysa River
near Bazilionai
, Šiauliai district to the Venta River
near Tolučiai Šaukėnų, Kelmė District
of Lithuania
.
The canal was designed and built in the early 19th century as part of canal system to connect the Vistula River
at the center of the Kingdom of Poland
with the Baltic
seaport of Ventspils
. The first section (the Augustów Canal
) was completed, but work was halted on the Windawski Canal due to the unrest caused by the Uprising of 1831
against Russia
.
In 1821 Prussia
introduced repressively high customs duties for transit of Polish and Lithuanian goods through its territory, practically blocking the access to the sea for Polish traders operating outside of Prussian territory.
The idea of Polish Minister of Economy, Franciszek Ksawery Drucki-Lubecki
, was to make the new trade route independent of the Prussian seaports of Danzig (Gdańsk) on the Vistula River
and Memel (Klaipėda) on the Neman River
, and link the center of the Kingdom of Poland
with the Baltic
seaport of Ventspils
.
The canal was designed and built in two sections, the first being the Augustów Canal
, located in then the Augustów Voivodeship
of the Kingdom of Poland
, providing a direct link between the Vistula River, through the Biebrza River – a tributary of the Narew River
, and the Neman River
, through its tributary – the Czarna Hancza River. The final "Windawski" section of the waterway (Windawski Canal), which was to connect the Neman River
, through its tributary – the Dubysa River
, with the Venta River
located in the Kovno Governorate
of the Russian Empire
. The canal was based on the Kartuva rivulet.
In 1822 Duke Alexander of Württemberg became the Head of Communications Department and commenced several river channel projects in western Russia.
Dubysa
Dubysa, at 131 km, is the 15th longest river in Lithuania. It originates just a few kilometers from Lake Rėkyva near Šiauliai city. At first it flows south, but at Lyduvėnai turns southeast and near Ariogala - southwest. Dubysa is a Samogitian river...
near Bazilionai
Bazilionai
-External links: *...
, Šiauliai district to the Venta River
Venta River
Venta River is a river in north-western Lithuania and western Latvia. Its source is near Kuršėnai in the Lithuanian Šiauliai County. It flows into the Baltic Sea at Ventspils in Latvia....
near Tolučiai Šaukėnų, Kelmė District
Kelme district municipality
Kelmė district municipality is one of 60 municipalities in Lithuania, located in western part of Lithuania....
of Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
.
The canal was designed and built in the early 19th century as part of canal system to connect the Vistula River
Vistula
The Vistula is the longest and the most important river in Poland, at 1,047 km in length. The watershed area of the Vistula is , of which lies within Poland ....
at the center of the Kingdom of Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
with the Baltic
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
seaport of Ventspils
Ventspils
Ventspils is a city in northwestern Latvia in the Courland historical region of Latvia, the sixth largest city in the country. As of 2006, Ventspils had a population of 43,806. Ventspils is situated on the Venta River and the Baltic Sea, and has an ice-free port...
. The first section (the Augustów Canal
Augustów Canal
The Augustów Canal is a cross-border canal built in the 19th century in the present-day Podlaskie Voivodeship of northeastern Poland and the Hrodna Voblast of north-western Belarus...
) was completed, but work was halted on the Windawski Canal due to the unrest caused by the Uprising of 1831
November Uprising
The November Uprising , Polish–Russian War 1830–31 also known as the Cadet Revolution, was an armed rebellion in the heartland of partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. The uprising began on 29 November 1830 in Warsaw when the young Polish officers from the local Army of the Congress...
against Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
History
Design and construction (1821–31)In 1821 Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
introduced repressively high customs duties for transit of Polish and Lithuanian goods through its territory, practically blocking the access to the sea for Polish traders operating outside of Prussian territory.
The idea of Polish Minister of Economy, Franciszek Ksawery Drucki-Lubecki
Franciszek Ksawery Drucki-Lubecki
Franciszek Ksawery Drucki-Lubecki was an important politician of the first half of the 19th century in the partitioned Poland. He was a prince and minister of the treasury in the Congress Kingdom of Poland. He is known as one of the prominent economists and financiers of his era...
, was to make the new trade route independent of the Prussian seaports of Danzig (Gdańsk) on the Vistula River
Vistula
The Vistula is the longest and the most important river in Poland, at 1,047 km in length. The watershed area of the Vistula is , of which lies within Poland ....
and Memel (Klaipėda) on the Neman River
Neman River
Neman or Niemen or Nemunas, is a major Eastern European river rising in Belarus and flowing through Lithuania before draining into the Curonian Lagoon and then into the Baltic Sea at Klaipėda. It is the northern border between Lithuania and Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast in its lower reaches...
, and link the center of the Kingdom of Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
with the Baltic
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
seaport of Ventspils
Ventspils
Ventspils is a city in northwestern Latvia in the Courland historical region of Latvia, the sixth largest city in the country. As of 2006, Ventspils had a population of 43,806. Ventspils is situated on the Venta River and the Baltic Sea, and has an ice-free port...
.
The canal was designed and built in two sections, the first being the Augustów Canal
Augustów Canal
The Augustów Canal is a cross-border canal built in the 19th century in the present-day Podlaskie Voivodeship of northeastern Poland and the Hrodna Voblast of north-western Belarus...
, located in then the Augustów Voivodeship
Augustów Voivodeship
Augustów Voivodeship was created in 1816 from the Łomża Department. Its capital was in Łomża until 1818, when it was transferred to Suwałki. In 1837 it was transformed into Augustów Governorate.-Administrative divisions:It was divided into 7 counties:...
of the Kingdom of Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
, providing a direct link between the Vistula River, through the Biebrza River – a tributary of the Narew River
Narew
The Narew River , in western Belarus and north-eastern Poland, is a left tributary of the Vistula river...
, and the Neman River
Neman River
Neman or Niemen or Nemunas, is a major Eastern European river rising in Belarus and flowing through Lithuania before draining into the Curonian Lagoon and then into the Baltic Sea at Klaipėda. It is the northern border between Lithuania and Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast in its lower reaches...
, through its tributary – the Czarna Hancza River. The final "Windawski" section of the waterway (Windawski Canal), which was to connect the Neman River
Neman River
Neman or Niemen or Nemunas, is a major Eastern European river rising in Belarus and flowing through Lithuania before draining into the Curonian Lagoon and then into the Baltic Sea at Klaipėda. It is the northern border between Lithuania and Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast in its lower reaches...
, through its tributary – the Dubysa River
Dubysa
Dubysa, at 131 km, is the 15th longest river in Lithuania. It originates just a few kilometers from Lake Rėkyva near Šiauliai city. At first it flows south, but at Lyduvėnai turns southeast and near Ariogala - southwest. Dubysa is a Samogitian river...
, with the Venta River
Venta River
Venta River is a river in north-western Lithuania and western Latvia. Its source is near Kuršėnai in the Lithuanian Šiauliai County. It flows into the Baltic Sea at Ventspils in Latvia....
located in the Kovno Governorate
Kovno Governorate
The Kovno Governorate or Government of Kovno was a governorate of the Russian Empire. Its capital was Kovno . It was formed on 18 December 1842 by tsar Nicholas I from the western part of the Vilna Governorate, and the order was carried out on 1 July 1843. It used to be a part of Northwestern Krai...
of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. The canal was based on the Kartuva rivulet.
In 1822 Duke Alexander of Württemberg became the Head of Communications Department and commenced several river channel projects in western Russia.