The first Kiel Canal and the high bridge of Levensau. Late 19th century

The Kiel Canal (in German: Nord-Ostsee-Kanal) is a maritime navigation canal connecting the North Sea to the Baltic Sea (at Kiel).
Crossing the southern part of the Jutland peninsula in Germany, the canal provides an average shortcut of 250 nautical miles (460 km). Its construction was therefore of major strategic importance to Germany.
This engraving depicts the first Kiel Canal, which was built in 1887 with the help of 9,000 men. Measuring 99 km long, 104 m wide in places and 11 m deep, the Kiel Canal was officially opened by Kaiser Wilhelm II in June 1895.