Horten canal

The canal separates Halden town from the old Naval base called Karl Johans Vern.


View towards south from the roadbridge	The northern bridge seen from north	Ingrid at the northern bridge

The northern bridge seen from south	The roadbridge seen from north	The promenade on the east side of the canal

The canal continues in the harbour	The southern bridge with the harbour in the background	The southern bridge from south

Total length	Elevation	Number of locks	Max draft	Max heigth	Max speed
800 m	0 m	0	1,75 m	2 m	3 knots

History:
In 1818 it was decided that the Norwegian navy should have a base at the peninsula outside Horten. Building of that base started in 1820.
The base was built at the northernmost part of the peninsula and a harbour in the eastern side of the lagoon. Soon the navy realized the benefits of a canal southwards from the lagoon. That would give their boats a faster way towards south and it would also separate the base from the mainland.
This canal was built from 1854 to 1867, and according to witnesses from those days it was 878,479 meters long! One double tilting bridge was built across the canal too. This bridge was manually opened, as the navy could not afford to build a powered bridge.
Today there are three bridges crossing the canal. One pedastrian bridge at each end of the canal and one roadbridge in the northern part.
Since then the canal has lost all of it's military importance. The naval ships are now way too big to pass. It has now become a popular shortcut for pleasureboats. But during time it has become more and more shallow. In the early 1990:ies the depth was only 0,5 meter.
In 1998 the canal was closed for renovation. The bottom was moulded in concrete and on the canal walls were all newly laid in stone. The depth is now 1,75 meters.
These works costed 18 million NOK and the Norwegian defense payed most of it.
The canal is now one of the cultural monuments of the Norwegian defense, and cared for as such.

Sources: The Navy's historical signs by the canal, and my own experiences in situ.
Do send comments or further information to Bosse Arnholm!

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This page was modified at 12-08-06