Augustów Canal

The Augustów Canal is a waterway with 101km in length which connects the drainage basins of the Vistula and the Neman. It was built in the 19th century in order to avoid Prussian customs control which prohibited the transport of Polish goods to Gdańsk using the Vistula route. It passes through Poland (80km) and Belarus (21km).

The canal was designed by Ignacy Prądzyński. It consists of 12 lakes - Białe, Necko, Mikaszówek, Paniewo, among others. In order to equalize the altitude differences between the reservoirs, 18 locks were built. 14 of them are placed in Poland, 3 in Belarus, and 1 lies in the territory of both countries. The lock chambers are made of red brick with edges painted in white. Plaques with construction manager's surnames and dates used to be placed near the locks. Majority of them preserved to this day.

Nowadays, the Augustów Canal is a tourist attraction where cruises are organized. Several routes are available, the most popular is the 'Papieska' route. The waterway can be traveled by cruise ships, kayaks, fishing boats and motorboats. The green trail designed for walkers and bikers can be found near the canal. Another attraction is the Museum of Augustów Canal which consists of collections related to the history and usage of this construction.