Kanhave Canal
Kanhavekanalen
The remains of a canal dug around 726 CE, before the Viking Age, crossing the narrow isthmus in the middle of the island. It is one of the oldest known man-made canals in Northern Europe.
The Kanhave Canal is about 500 meters long and 11 meters wide. It cuts across the narrowest isthmus between northern and southern Samsø, connecting Stavns Fjord with the bay to the west. Tree-ring dating shows the canal was dug around 726 CE, which means Denmark already had a regime capable of organizing labor before the Viking Age. Ships could quickly move between the seas on either side, helping to control the strait. Today the canal has silted up into a long, low-lying strip of grassland. There are information boards and a walking path alongside, but there is not much to see on site. Its significance lies mainly in its history. It is located beside the road in the middle of the island and is worth a 20–30 minute stop on a bike ride.
Opening hours
All day