Boiler lock (Emden)
The boiler lock in Emden ( East Frisia ) is a unique structure in Europe. The round chamber lock connects four waterways for shipping , which converge here: the Ems-Jade Canal , the Emder Stadtgraben , the Fehntjer Tief and the Rote Siel , an extension of the Faldernelft and thus the Emden harbor . These four waterways mostly have different water levels.
The Kesselschleuse not only connects four canals - it is also the corner point of four Emden districts that meet in the middle of the lock: Wolthusen in the northeast, Herrentor in the southeast, Klein-Faldern in the southwest and Groß-Faldern in the northwest.
construction
The lock consists of a central chamber , the so-called boiler, which has a diameter of 33 meters and four other, somewhat smaller lock chambers . Arriving ships are channeled through one of these four chambers into the circular central chamber and can leave the lock chamber in three directions through one of the other lock chambers.
The duration of the lock process depends on the difference in water levels to be overcome, as a corresponding amount of water must run in or out through the gates. The water level is equalized without the use of pumps, a lock keeper is responsible for the inflow and outflow of the water, which is controlled by opening and closing the correct contactors.
The boiler lock was designed by the rather unknown Berlin government master builder Wilhelm Germelmann and went into operation in February 1887 after only ten months of construction. The original shape at that time only had two lock chambers. However, its capacity was soon exhausted, so the lock was expanded to its present form from 1911 to 1913. From 1982 onwards a general renovation took place , which lasted eight years and was more like a new building. To this day it is the only construction of its kind in Europe and is a listed building .
meaning
The boiler lock is hardly of any importance for the transport of goods, only transports of building materials over the Ems-Jade Canal in the direction of Aurich still take place occasionally. All the more important is its function as a crossing point for sport shipping within the East Frisian waterway network. Next to the lock are the lock keeper's house and the lock servant house, which have also been preserved in their original state.
Today around 2,800 ships are smuggled through each year, most of them are pleasure craft. The sluice also serves a completely different purpose, drainage . Without them, the drainage possibilities of the Ems-Jade Canal would be much worse, and it threatened to overflow its banks.
See also
Web links
- NLWKN : The Emden boiler lock
- nordwestreisemagazin.de: Boiler lock in Emden
Coordinates: 53 ° 22 '0.6 " N , 7 ° 13' 8.6" E