Niederfinow Ship Lift
Protected industrial monument on the Oder-Havel Canal
If you set out on a paddling tour through Brandenburg from the north of Berlin on the Oder-Havel Canal, you will definitely be rewarded with a picturesque experience of nature. If you are particularly lucky, you can use the Niederfinow ship lift (Schiffhebewerk Niederfinow) at the fork to the Old Oder and virtually ride the lift in a kayak. The locking takes just twenty minutes, overcoming a height difference of 36 metres. Cargo ships weighing up to 1,200 tonnes can be lifted in Niederfinow.
Built in 1934, the plant in Niederfinow near Eberswalde is Germany's oldest ship lift still in operation. It is a protected industrial monument and, with its 60-metre-high steel structure, illustrates the German engineering art of the time. By the way, you don't have to travel by freighter or kayak to experience the spectacle. Take one of the passenger ships from Eberswalde or from Oderberg to Niederfinow. Or watch how the lift works from the visitors' gallery and enjoy a wonderful view over the Barnimer Land at the same time.
