{"id":62302,"date":"2026-05-28T17:56:30","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T14:56:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/greece\/corinth-canal-the-story-of-a-great-project-a-surprise-excursion\/62302\/"},"modified":"2026-05-16T07:19:06","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T04:19:06","slug":"engineering-the-impossible-the-corinth-canal-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/en\/greece\/peloponnese-en\/engineering-the-impossible-the-corinth-canal-story\/62302\/","title":{"rendered":"Engineering the Impossible: The Corinth Canal Story"},"content":{"rendered":"

Corinth. A “lightning” excursion but with many archaeological gifts in its basket. Just about 80 km. First of all, there is one of the greatest engineering achievements of the 19th century: the Corinth Canal. We are in “Aphneios Corinth”, one of the most important cities of the ancient world and then of modern Greece. Its geographical position naturally played a huge role in its emergence as a key naval, commercial, and cultural center. So, see this mini-excursion as a… walk through the history of Greece.<\/p>\n

The archaeological history of Corinth in (many) pieces<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Corinth<\/picture>Corinth Canal<\/strong>: It played an important role in Mediterranean trade and, until its completion, condensed an effort and inspiration that endured for thousands of years… 25 centuries after the conception of her idea! The first attempt was made at the end of the 7th century BC, specifically in 602 BC, when the tyrant of Corinth, Periander, decided to unite the Corinthian Gulf with the Saronic Gulf. The technicians of the time, however, prevented Periander from proceeding because they noticed a difference in level between the two sides and believed this would cause the Corinthian Gulf to flow into the Saronic Gulf with unknown consequences.<\/p>\n

Periander did not give up and tried to solve the problem by constructing the famous Diolkos. It is a road paved with limestone slabs and lined with wood, from which ships smeared with grease were transported, from the port of Kenchrees in the Saronic Gulf, to the port of Lechaion in the Corinthian Gulf. The ships were loaded onto special vehicles and towed overland from Diolkos, which was 5 meters wide. Two and a half centuries later, Rome’s hegemony breathed new life into the project, but all attempts \u2013 by Julius Caesar, Caligula, and the emperors Gaius and Hadrian \u2013 failed.<\/p>\n

\"Corinth<\/picture>The most important step in the construction of the Corinth Canal was finally taken under Nero in 66 A.D. At that time, 6,000 Jewish prisoners were sent from Judea alone. The works then stopped suddenly due to the uprising in Rome and Nero’s assassination. They were followed by Herodes Atticus, the Byzantines, and the Venetians. It wasn’t until 1830 that the first governor of Greece, Ioannis Kapodistrias, finally got the grandiose project underway.<\/strong> Indeed, the inauguration of the Suez Canal in 1869 prompted Greece to intensify its efforts in all directions, with work beginning on April 23, 1882, in the presence of King George I.<\/p>\n

\"Ship<\/picture>In the end, the great project, for the implementation of which architects and engineers from all over Europe collaborated and original explosive devices, dynamite and other explosives were used, was associated with the person of the modernizing Prime Minister Charilaos Trikoupis. The canal was opened in 1893, shortening the sea route from Piraeus to Italy by half.<\/p>\n

Diolkos or Posidonia<\/strong><\/h2>\n

As mentioned above, Diolkos is a part of this paved road created by the tyrant Periander in his attempt to open the Corinth Canal. A large part of this road was revealed by excavations in 1960. The visitor can still see them today, to the west of the modern canal. In fact, the deep grooves along which the vehicle carrying the ships from the Saronic Gulf to the Corinthian Gulf moved are preserved. One might think that for such an important historical point, its protection should be more intensive.<\/p>\n

Archaeological Museum of Isthmia<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Archaeological<\/picture>To find it, after the Isthmus, you will turn left for Epidaurus. There is a sign indicating “Archaeological Museum of Isthmia”. The Minion Museum presents findings from archaeological excavations in Isthmia and Kenchrees, the second port of Ancient Corinth.<\/p>\n

Korfos<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Your next stop is in this cove like a hug (hence the name Korfos). It is the favorite port of those who ride inflatables. You will find it from the relevant sign on the Korinthos-Epidaurus road.<\/p>\n

Ancient city of Corinth<\/strong><\/h2>\n

It is less than a quarter from the new city. The importance of this location is also great, since it was one of the most important cities of ancient Greece, where St. Paul lived for two years.<\/strong>\u00a0The ruins of the city include the Agora and the well-preserved temple of Apollo (dating back to the 6th century BC).<\/p>\n

\"Corinth:<\/picture>It is combined with a short visit to the site of the ancient port of Kechries, where St. Paul disembarked upon his arrival in the area. The adventurous and those with stamina can attempt the ascent on foot from the winding road to the entrance of the impressive castle in Venetian style.<\/p>\n

\"Corinth:<\/picture>Here you will see: arcades, baths, and other public buildings. Some parts of the ancient cobbled roads are preserved in very good condition.<\/p>\n

Acrocorinth<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Acrocorinth:<\/picture>It is a 575 m-high rock that dominates the plain of Corinth. At its foot was built the city of Ancient Corinth, and the rock of Acrocorinth was the city’s castle (Acropolis), as was common in antiquity.<\/p>\n

The modern city of Corinth<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Excursion<\/picture>Typical but nice Greek coastal town. Its beach is called Kalamia. In winter, it does not lose its vitality and rhythm. In any case, Corinth<\/strong> is pleasant to walk around, since the two earthquakes that hit it in 1858 and 1928 left a city with good street planning, wide streets, and squares. If you want to get a sense of the local fun, a good idea is the pedestrian street of Pilarinos Zografou, where most of the city’s cafes and bars are located. Equally good choices are Apostolou Pavlou Street and Eleftherios Venizelos Square, right in front of the (natural) marina of the city.<\/p>\n

Corinth Canal Visit: Key Spots Not to Miss<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Excursion<\/picture><\/p>\n