{{short description|Canal in Telemark, Norway}} {{Infobox river | name = Telemark Canal | image = Telemarkskanalen.jpg | image_caption = The ''Henrik Ibsen'' in a lock at Vrangfoss staircase locks | source1_location = | mouth_location = | length_km = 105 | source1_elevation = {{convert|72|m|abbr=on}} | mouth_elevation = | discharge1_avg = | basin_size = }} thumb|Fjågesund Bridge over the Telemark Canal The '''Telemark Canal''' connects the towns Skien and Dalen in southern Norway by linking several long lakes in the Skien watershed through a series of 18 locks.
It originally consisted of two canals. The Norsjø–Skien Canal, with locks in Skien and Løveid, was built in 1854–1861 and linked Skien with Norsjø lake. The longer Bandak–Norsjø Canal was opened in 1892 by the Minister of Labour Hans Hein Theodor Nysom.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.telemarkskanalen.no/kanalweb/Dokumentbase.nsf/.XAppWPLookupNewsByUniversalID/AC5E63BFBF20C3C1C1256E2200428C56!OpenDocument|title=Telemarkskanalen – Den Offisielle siden for Telemarkskanalen.|publisher=}}</ref> It extended the canal from Norsjø lake through Flåvatn and Kviteseidvatn (Kviteseidvatnet) lakes to Bandak Lake. In Europe, this canal was seen as "the eighth wonder" at the time it was finished. The Bandak–Nordsjø Canal was mainly built for transport of goods and passengers, log floating and to prevent flooding. Log floating is no longer practiced, due to the closing of Union, a local paper factory. An eastern section gives access from Norsjø lake to Notodden via Lake Heddalsvatnet.
The Telemark Canal consists of 18 locks, is {{convert|105|km|mi}} long and has a total difference in elevation of {{convert|72|m|ft}}. The biggest staircase lock is Vrangfoss, which has five chambers and a lifting height of {{convert|23|m|ft}}. The riverboats ''Henrik Ibsen'' and ''Victoria'' travel with tourists from Skien to Dalen via Kviteseid. ''Victoria'' has traveled the Norsjø–Skien Canal since 1882, and the Bandak–Norsjø Canal since its opening.
The canal was selected as the millennium site for Telemark County. It was also features in the ''Telemarkskanalen – minutt for minutt'' slow television documentary in 2012.<ref>[https://m.imdb.com/title/tt6964092/ Telemarkskanalen – minutt for minutt IMDB]</ref>
The Bandak-Norsjø Canal was made a National Cultural Heritage in June 2017.
==List of lock chambers== There are 18 lock chambers at 8 different locations. {| class=wikitable !Lock !Lift height !Chambers !Lock passage time |- |Skien |5 m |1 |20 min |- |Løveid |10.3 m |3 |35 min |- |Ulefoss |10.7 m |3 |40 min |- |Eidsfoss |10 m |2 |30 min |- |Vrangfoss |23 m |5 |60 min |- |Lunde |3 m |1 |15 min |- |Kjeldal |3 m |1 |15 min |- |Hogga |7 m |2 |25 min |- |}
==Maximum traffic dimensions== {| class=wikitable !Dimension !Meter !Feet !Remarks |- |'''Mast height''' |16 |52.5 |Limited to 12.8 m at Ulefoss–Dalen |- |'''Length''' |31.4 |100 | |- |'''Width''' |6.6 |21 | |- |'''Draft''' |2.5 |8 | |- |}
{| |left|thumb|600px|Telemark Canal from Skien to Dalen. The canal to Heddalsvatnet is not shown, but connects the north end of Norsjø. |}
==References== <references />
== External links== *[http://www.telemarkskanalen.no The Telemark Canal] *{{cite web|title= Telemarkskanalen blir NRKs nye minutt for minutt-satsing|trans-title=The Telemark Canal will become NRK's new minute by minute commitment |url= http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/distrikt/ostafjells/telemark/1.8082657|publisher=NRK|language=Norwegian|date=2012-04-19}}
{{coord|59|17|N|9|16|E|display=title|region:NO_type:river_source:GNS-enwiki}}
Category:Geography of Telemark Category:Tourist attractions in Telemark Category:Canals in Norway Category:Locks in Norway Category:Nome, Norway Category:Kviteseid Category:Canals opened in 1861 Category:Canals opened in 1892 Category:Timber rafting Category:1861 establishments in Norway Category:Millennium sites