The Leipzig water network
A water city in the middle of Germany? In Leipzig, that's possible: the White Elster, the Pleiße and the Parthe shape the landscape of the trade fair city. As a long right tributary of the Saale, the White Elster is the longest river that flows through Leipzig, with a total length of 257 kilometers. Its name comes from its source in the Czech Elster Mountains: The term "Elster" therefore comes from the basic form "Al-Astra" or "Al-Istra" - Indo-Germanic for "flow" or "stream". The addition "white" comes from the light, turbid water, which has less iron content than that of the Black Elster - a tributary of the Elbe. The White Elster flows through Plauen, Gera and Leipzig, among other places, to Halle, where it flows into the Saale. The fertile area of the Elster floodplain was used for agricultural purposes early on. However, the river was in some places straightened, canalized or dammed to protect against flooding.
The 90-kilometer-long Pleiße rises as a tributary of the White Elster in Lichtentanne-Ebersbrunn in western Saxony and also flows into the Leipzig water junction. There it divides at the Connewitz weir into the partially arched Pleißemühlgraben and the Pleiße flood bed. But the Leipzig water network's current good reputation did not always exist. In the GDR era, the Pleiße was also known as the "communist puddle" or "Rio Phenole". Discharges of waste products from the carbon-chemical industry in the southern area of Leipzig caused discoloration, stench and foam in the river. All life in the water died. After the industry was shut down, the water quality improved noticeably, and numerous fish species returned. Due to the iron compounds in the water from the closed brown coal open-cast mine, a slight brown color can still be observed in the water today, but this is not dangerous to health. The Pleiße has also been honored in numerous pieces of music. Johann Sebastian Bach dedicated his secular cantata “Schleicht, spielende Wellen BWV 206” and the cantata “Auf, schmetternde Töne der munteren Trompeten BWV 207” to the watercourse. There is also a mention in the song collection “Singende Muse an der Pleiße” by Sperontes from 1736. The dialect poet Lene Voigt also sang about the river several times.
Less well known but just as important is the Parthe, which also flows into the White Elster. Until 1950, the river flowed into the Pleißemühlgraben in the Zoological Garden. The original Slavic meaning of the name "the stinking one" was programmatic: the heavy pollution of the river was not good for the animals, so the ditch was ultimately led into the Elstergraben and its bed filled up to the zoo. Today, parts of the river's course have been placed under protection as the "Parthenaue-Machern landscape conservation area". The Parthenaue special purpose association, consisting of the city of Leipzig and the towns of Taucha and Borsdorf, is also committed to maintaining and preserving the cultural landscape.
The port city of Leipzig
People from outside the area are surprised when Leipzig is called a port city. But the history of the trade fair city explains this name: With an interlocking system of natural rivers and constructed canals, Leipzig offers perfect conditions for kayak, canoe or rubber dinghy tours. Where numerous rivers flow into one another, a port is of course a must: Leipzig City Port is one of the most popular destinations for locals and visitors. With a total area of 14.000 square meters, it forms the central anchor point of Leipzig's water network. As the gateway to the New Lake District, the city port is also the starting point for extensive motorboat tours. But those interested can also get active themselves with stand-up paddling or canoeing. In the future, the city of Leipzig plans to transform the city port into a lively place with an urban port atmosphere - and all this just 400 meters away from the New Town Hall. By 2025, piers for multi-person ships, boats and canoes as well as a nautical infrastructure with services related to gastronomy and water tourism are to be built.
Another port can be found in the northwest of the city: Lindenau Harbor is seen as a potential area in Leipzig, which was originally intended to have a connection to the sea. The port is not in Lindenau, as the name suggests, but extends over the districts of Neulindenau, Grünau-Ost and Schönau. The history of the area goes back to 1938 - the year construction began. Originally, two transshipment basins, each 1.000 meters long, 90 meters wide and 6 meters deep, were planned. Two industrial ports were also to be built north of the transshipment basins. However, work was stopped in 1943 due to the Second World War. Three warehouses, a port railway facility and a connection to the PX industrial railway were completed, but the connection to the Elster-Saale and Karl-Heine canals remained unfinished. In the GDR, there were no efforts to complete the former construction projects. The warehouse and storage buildings were used until the 1990s - since then they have been listed as historical monuments and are considered popular lost places in the city, attracting numerous adventure seekers. In addition, the Leipzig-Lindenau eV museum railway is located behind the dilapidated warehouse buildings: over a two-kilometer stretch, you can discover and actively experience Leipzig's industrial history. The connection to the Karl-Heine Canal was added in 2015, which meant that Lindenau Harbor was connected to the White Elster. Up until this point, the harbor was not accessible by water. Today, as part of the "Wasserstadt Leipzig" project, a further expansion of the harbor is planned: with a connection to the European waterway network, the area is to be used primarily for leisure activities and urban tourism. A marina is also planned for the future. With 470 new apartments, Lindenau Harbor will become an attractive place to live for families.
The canals of "Little Venice"
The Karl Heine Canal is probably the best known and most popular river in Leipzig. It is 3,3 kilometers long and is an artificially created waterway that connects the Lindenau harbor with the White Elster. This connection makes it possible to travel by boat to the Leipzig New Lake District. Today's cultural monument was initiated in 1856 by the lawyer and industrial pioneer Karl Heine as the first part of a planned shipping canal. Eight years later, the first part was inaugurated on June 25th. Heine thus turned the Plagwitz district into an important industrial location - right on the outskirts of Leipzig. The last section, which ends just before the Lindenau harbor, was built between 1890 and 1898. In the 1990s, the canal underwent extensive renovation, including the construction of a cycle and pedestrian path. The ceremonial inauguration took place on September 16th, 1996 in the presence of the then Federal Environment Minister Angela Merkel. As one of the most famous places of industrial culture, the canal's path leads past numerous sights. From the water, you can enjoy an impressive view of the stilt house, among other things. Built in 1889 by the Grohmann & Frosch company, the building was once the site of the production halls of a corrugated iron rolling mill and a galvanizing plant. Around 1914, around two thirds of the company premises were built on - to make optimal use of space, a structure on stilts was erected before the Second World War - today's stilt house. After extensive restoration in 2003, the building was reopened with studios, apartments and a restaurant. The Philippus Church is also a popular meeting point near the canal. The place of worship is not only a place for spiritual, religious and social events, but also offers a location for concerts, readings and private events. Since 2012, the church has opened its doors to everyone - regardless of individual religious affiliation. The design of the interior makes it unique in all of Central Germany - the design according to the "Wiesbaden building program", including a Jehmlich organ, is unique. In addition, the associated rectory is now an inclusive hotel: people with and without disabilities have the opportunity to stay overnight or work here.
But the little ones also get their money's worth at the Karl-Heine Canal: At the water playground under the Gießerbrücke, they can let off steam on a total of 160 square meters. But the area along the waterway is not only a popular excursion destination - it also serves as a habitat for nutrias. The beaver-like rodents inhabit almost all potential habitats in and around Leipzig and rarely have natural predators.
The Elstermühlgraben is a canal of a different kind. The mill canal runs underground for a total length of 4.000 meters as an artificial tributary of the Pleiße and flows into the Elster basin at the Palmengarten weir. The canal has existed for over 1.000 years. In the 12th century it was mainly used to regulate spring floods and to operate mills. The first settlements around the area were built around 100 years later. The Elstermühlgraben was also not spared from the heavy pollution caused by the discharge of waste water - the quality only improved after reunification in 1990. Since 2004, the formerly 1.000 meter long underground section has been exposed in stages.
A lesser-known canal is the Luppe Canal, also called the New Luppe. As an artificial branch of the White Elster, it carries more water than the main river itself. The created river basin borders the Wahren district to the south and joins the Nahle shortly afterwards - another branch of the Elster basin. Together with the White Elster, the New Luppe flanks the Auensee: the recreation area in the northwest of the city originated from an amusement park founded over 90 years ago, the "Luna Park". The groundwater lake, which is around 10 meters deep, was also used as a gravel pit for the construction of Leipzig Central Station around 1910. The area with its foothills of the alluvial forest, orchards and wetlands developed over time into a popular excursion destination for Leipzig residents. In addition to various opportunities for sports, games and entertainment, you can also take a ride on the park railway - some of the rides are run by children and young people. The area is also an attractive destination for culture lovers: as a concert venue, Haus Auensee regularly attracts numerous visitors to its premises.
Bridges connect
Where there are many rivers, there must also be ways to cross them. There are plenty of these in Leipzig. The Karl-Heine Canal alone is spanned by 15 bridges. The most famous of these is the Sachsenbrücke. It crosses the Elster flood bed and connects the eastern and western parts of the Clara-Zetkin Park. Its name commemorates a historical event. Since 1901, the name has officially stood for the change of sides of Napoleon Bonaparte's Saxon troops to the allies during the Battle of the Nations in 1813. In this way, the structure, together with numerous other monuments in the city, keeps the memory of the historical event alive. Today, the Sachsenbrücke is not only a cultural monument, but also a popular meeting place for young people and students. On warm summer evenings in particular, you can listen to street artists and musicians there.
The Elster Basin is spanned by two bridges: the Zeppelin Bridge and the Landauer Bridge, which was known as the Hindenburg Bridge until 1945. Built between 1913 and 1915, the Zeppelin Bridge was designed by Hugo Licht. The Palmengarten weir is located not far from this structure. At the southern end of the Elster Basin, this facility can lower the water level from 106,9 m above sea level to 104,4 m above sea level - so much so that the Elstermühlgraben ditch dries out completely. Built by architect Georg Wünschmann, the weir was mainly used as a roller and column weir to control the water inflow from the White Elster and the Pleiße. The entire structure is completely faced with granite and is now one of the city's technical monuments. Nevertheless, it is still functional and still meets Leipzig's flood protection requirements. The weir got its name from the adjacent Palmengarten, an amusement park created between 1893 and 1899, which belonged to the Clara Zetkin Park until 2011.
With its extensive network of waterways, Leipzig offers numerous attractive ways to spend time. The city can be explored by water as well as by land. For example, a bike tour along the Elster cycle path can be followed by a paddle tour through the floodplain forest to Lake Cospuden. It is also possible to discover the west of the city by boat: a boat tour on the Karl-Heine Canal takes you past the Klingerweg boathouse, the Buntgarnwerke to Lindenau Harbor.
Another annual highlight is the Leipzig Water Festival. Every year in August, Leipzig residents and visitors can look forward to three days full of interaction and information, fun and entertainment. Between the Leipzig city harbor and the Lindenau harbor, the Elster flood bed and the Karl-Heine Canal, water lovers of all ages get their money's worth.
More information about tours and leisure activities: https://www.leipzig.travel/de/freizeit/wasserstadt-leipzig/