| Radunia Canal | |
|---|---|
 The Radunia Canal near theWielki Młyn (Great Mill) | |
 Interactive map of Radunia Canal | |
| Location | Gdańsk,Pruszcz Gdański |
| Country | Poland |
| Coordinates | 54°21′17″N18°39′42″E / 54.3547°N 18.6618°E /54.3547; 18.6618 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 13.5 km (8.4 miles) |
| Average depth | 2 metres (6.6 ft) |
| History | |
| Date completed | 1356 |
| Date restored | 2011–2015 |
| Geography | |
| Start point | Pruszcz Gdański |
| End point | Old Town, Gdańsk |
| Beginningcoordinates | 54°15′01″N18°37′21″E / 54.2503°N 18.6224°E /54.2503; 18.6224 |
| Endingcoordinates | 54°21′17″N18°39′42″E / 54.3547°N 18.6618°E /54.3547; 18.6618 |
| Connects to | Motława |
TheRadunia Canal (Polish:Kanał Raduni;German:Radaunekanal) is a historiccanal completed in 1356 connecting theRadunia andMotława rivers, flowing through the cities ofPruszcz Gdański andGdańsk in Poland. It is listed on theregional heritage list.[1]
The canal's course was dug out in 1338, and the canal itself was dug out between 1348 and 1356 by theState of the Teutonic Knights, which ruled Gdańsk (then known asDanzig) at the time.[2] It had two main purposes: powering themills along its path and deliveringdrinking water to the city's inhabitants.[3]
Up to the 1640s, the canal flowed directly into theVistula, but was redirected to flow into the Motława instead.[4] From 1539 to 1852, theWasserkunst in Danzig, a pumping station which brought in drinking water fromJasień Lake [pl],[5] was found on the canal's shores.[6]
On 9 July 2001, during the2001 flood in Gdańsk, the canal overflowed, flooding the districts ofOrunia-Św. Wojciech-Lipce andŚródmieście.[7][8][9]
The Canal begins inPruszcz Gdański, near the village ofJuszkowo, and continues straight north through Pruszcz. At the northern border of the city of Pruszcz, as it enters Gdańsk proper, it loses its straight shape and continues with a winding course up to the quarter (osiedle) ofŚw. Wojciecha [pl]. During that portion of the route, the Rotmanka Stream flows into it. It then returns to a straight course throughOrunia andLipce, with theOrunia Stream [pl] flowing into it. InZaroślak, it is linked to theOpływ Motławy [pl].[4]
It then goes underground, flowing under railway lines and briefly being visible inside the shopping mallForum Gdańsk[10] and eventually emerging in theOld Town, where it flows through two mills (theMały Młyn andWielki Młyn, the latter of which was Europe's largest industrial plant during theMiddle Ages),[11] takes a turn, and flows into theMotława.[4]
In 2011, a project began to modernize the Radunia Canal. Elements of the project included construction of shore protections, the strengthening and sealing offlood embankments, the reconstruction of severalpedestrian bridges, and removal of sewage and water piping networks that moved through it. It was projected to cost 130 millionzł.[12] The project was completed in several phases, being partly completed in 2012 and fully in 2015.[13][14][15]
In 2016 and 2017, two bridges across the Canal were built in Pruszcz Gdański.[16] In 2018, a bridge in Orunia, carrying traffic on Starogardzka Street, was renovated.[17][18] The most recently-built bridge was completed in 2020, also in Orunia-Św. Wojciech-Lipce, near the old Ferber Manor.[19][20]