The breathtaking canal, a masterpiece 2,500 years in the making

Beneath Greece’s clear skies, a massive ship carefully navigates the narrow, man-made waterway, with mere inches separating it from the rocky walls, while passengers marvel at the engineering feat before them.

The first vessels to sail through the Corinth Canal, one of the most remarkable engineering achievements ever, did so in 1893, realizing a dream that had been two and a half millennia in the making.

Carving through the Corinth isthmus, the canal connected the Ionian and Aegean Seas, transforming the Peloponnese Peninsula into an island and establishing a pivotal maritime link that revolutionized southern European navigation.

By bypassing the nearly 300-mile journey around the cape shaped like a plane tree leaf, the canal dramatically shortened and sped up routes, helping ships reach eastern ports quicker and more safely.

A 'daunting feat'

"It was an intricate and formidable challenge," said George Zouglis, the general manager at Corinth Canal SA, reflecting on the monumental task of cutting through the isthmus.

"Undoubtedly one of the most remarkable engineering feats of its era, using the most advanced technology available at the time," he added.

Now one of the most sought-after destinations, it ranks as Greece's second most-visited tourist site today, according to Zouglis, drawing visitors from all corners of the globe.

Every year, around 12,000 commercial and tourist vessels from over 60 countries pass through the Corinth Canal, which is temporarily closed for restoration work.

Basketball icon Earvin 'Magic' Johnson was one of the many notable figures to traverse the canal last summer.

The canal typically operates around the clock, except for maintenance work conducted on Tuesdays between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Certain ships, especially those over 800 net tons or carrying hazardous cargo, must be escorted by tugboats, with expert canal pilots guiding them through.

Non-maritime travelers can use railway, highway, and freeway bridges to cross the canal, with two submerged bridges that rise from the water at each end to allow road traffic to pass between ships. No matter how you cross, the view is truly awe-inspiring.

"It’s striking both from above and when you're standing in the canal, watching the vertical line [emerge from the water]," adds Zouglis.

The idea of digging a canal through the narrow isthmus had been discussed for over two centuries before the project finally materialized, with many false starts along the way.

A prolonged endeavor

The first recorded person to propose the idea was Periander, one of the Seven Sages of ancient Greece, who ruled Corinth in the late 7th century BCE.

Historical accounts suggest that his plan was abandoned after Pythia, the high priestess of Apollo's temple at Delphi and the god’s oracle, declared that the project would provoke 'the Gods’ wrath'.

However, it’s more likely that the project was halted due to its immense technical difficulties and the influence of certain financial interests in Corinth, a city that became one of the most powerful commercial and political hubs in ancient times.

Much of Corinth’s wealth is thought to have stemmed from the high tolls imposed on merchants who used 'Diolkos,' a stone-paved road that allowed ships – lubricated with animal fat and transported on wheeled carts – to be dragged overland from the Gulf of Corinth to the Saronic Gulf, bypassing the long route around the Peloponnese.

Remnants of the famous trackway can still be spotted along the isthmus today.

Interest in building a navigable canal was rekindled about 300 years later by Demetrius I Poliorcetes (known as 'the Besieger'), but it is said that he abandoned the project after engineers mistakenly warned him that digging the canal could cause flooding in the Saronic Gulf islands due to the canal’s lower elevation compared to the Gulf of Corinth.

Over the following years, several Roman emperors, including Julius Caesar and Caligula, are said to have considered the idea as well.

However, it was not until the reign of Nero, the fifth emperor of Rome who ascended to the throne in 54 CE, that actual construction began.

Historians claim that Nero himself broke ground on the monumental project in 67 CE, using a golden pickaxe.

Excavation work made great strides, but ultimately came to a standstill following Nero’s return to Rome and his death the next year.

Even today, visitors traveling through the canal can admire an ancient relief carved into the massive rock, honoring Nero.

Breaking ground

Over the centuries, the Byzantines, Venetians, and other powers also entertained the idea, but none of their efforts progressed far.

The concept resurfaced after the Greek War of Independence in 1821, but the newly formed state lacked the financial means to undertake such a monumental project.

The opening of the Suez Canal in Egypt in 1869 reignited interest, and on April 23, 1882, work on the Corinth Canal resumed.

"It’s interesting to note that the plans used for the modern canal were essentially the same as those originally proposed by Nero," says Zouglis.

"In fact, Nero's proposed route was considered the most cost-effective and strategically favorable for the construction of the modern canal."

Over the next 11 years, a total of 12 million cubic meters of earth were removed to carve out an 8-meter deep canal that cuts a straight path through the isthmus, stretching 6,343 meters in length.

Around 2,500 workers were involved in the construction, utilizing state-of-the-art machinery primarily imported from France.

The grand inauguration of the canal took place on July 25, 1893, with a lavish ceremony attended by Greek and international dignitaries, accompanied by celebratory cannon fire from ships anchored nearby.

In the years that followed, the Corinth Canal became an invaluable maritime route for vessels traveling between the Adriatic Sea, Ionian Sea, western Mediterranean, and ports in the Black Sea and eastern Mediterranean, as Zouglis noted.

Occasionally, the canal would close due to erosion and landslides. In 1923, a massive 41,000 cubic meters of soil collapsed into the waterway, resulting in a two-year shutdown.

Operational disruptions

The most significant disruption occurred in 1944 when retreating Nazi German forces dumped numerous railway cars into the canal and detonated explosives along its slopes and bridges.

As a result, a colossal 60,000 cubic meters of earth fell into the canal, causing a closure that lasted for five years.

While still a crucial navigational passage, the canal’s width at sea level is 24.6 meters, and 21.3 meters at the bottom, making it too narrow for many modern vessels. The towering rock slabs flanking the canal rise up to 79 meters above sea level.

In 2019, the 22.5-meter-wide cruise liner Braemars successfully squeezed through the narrow waterway, earning the title of the longest vessel to navigate the canal, according to cruise company Fred Olsen.

After reopening to shipping following an 18-month closure, Greek authorities announced in October that the canal would close again until the following summer to complete the second phase of restoration work.

The Corinth Canal Company reported that the canal operated without disruptions during the summer of 2022, marking its most successful performance in two decades.

"In particular, tourist and commercial ships from over 70 different countries were accommodated, with the total number of crossings reaching approximately 6,000," stated the company.

Over the years, the Corinth Canal has become a popular destination for thrill-seekers, who can enjoy an adrenaline rush by bungee jumping from a platform roughly 80 meters above sea level.

Officials are now working to enhance the tourism infrastructure around the canal in a bid to increase interest in the region.

Plans are in progress to open a museum and a digital platform to display artifacts that tell the canal’s rich and complex history, with a launch expected in 2024.

The collection will feature historical photos, artworks, documents, as well as machinery and other items used over the years since the canal’s opening.

"Our goal is to showcase the canal’s cultural and historical significance, which dates back to ancient times," says Zouglis.