The ( in
Central Europe . It begins in the
Czech Republic and flows through western
Poland , later forming the northern 187 km of the border between Poland and
Germany , part of the
Oder-Neisse Line . The river ultimately flows into the
Szczecin Lagoon north of Stettin (
Szczecin ) and then with three branches (
Dziwna ,
Swina and
Peene ) that empty into the
Baltic Sea .
The Oder River is 854 km long: 112 in the Czech Republic, 742 in Poland (including 187 on the border between Germany and Poland) and second longest river in Poland (after the
Vistula ). It drains 118,861 square kilometers of watershed, 106,056 of which are in Poland (89%), 7,217 in the Czech Republic (6%), and 5,587 in Germany (5%). Channels connect it to
Havel ,
Spree ,
Vistula system and Kłodnica. It flows through
Silesian ,
Opole ,
Lower Silesian ,
Lubusz and
West Pomeranian voivodships of Poland and
Brandenburg and
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern states of Germany.
The main branch empties into the
Szczecin Lagoon . The Szczecin Lagoon is bordered on the north by islands of
Usedom (west) and
Wolin (east). Between these two islands, there is only a narrow channel (Swina) going to the
Bay Of Pomerania , which forms a part of the Baltic Sea.
The largest city on the Oder River is
Wrocław (Breslau).
The Odra is navigable over a large part of its total length, as far upstream as to the town of Kozle, where the river connects to the Gliwicki Canal. The upstream part of the river is canalized and permits larger barges (up to CEMT Class IV) to navigate between the industrial sites around the
Wrocław area.
Further downstream the river is free flowing, passing the towns of Eisenhüttenstadt (where a canal connects the river to the Spree in Berlin) and Frankfurt (Oder). Downstream of Frankfurt the Warta river forms a navigable connection with Poznan and Bydgosk for smaller vessels. At Hoohensaaten the Havel-Oder-Wasserstrasse connects with the Berlin waterways again.
Near it's mouth the Odra reaches the town of Szczecin (Stettin), a major maritime port. The river finally reaches the Baltic Sea through the lagoon of Szczecin (Stettiner Haff) and the river mouth at Swinousjscie. (Source:
NoorderSoft Waterways Database )
The river was known to the
Romans as ''Viadrus, Viadua'', as it was a branch of the
Amber Road from the Baltic Sea to the
Roman Empire . However in the
Middle Ages it was called in
Latin documents as ''Odera, Oddera'' and first mentioned in
Dagome Iudex document (ca.
990 ), describing the boundary of early
Poland under duke
Mieszko I .
The Oder river must have been an important trade route and human settlement axis as early as s, Dadoshanie,
Opolans , Lupiglaa and Golenshitse in
Silesia and also
Wolinians and
Pyrzycans in Western
Pomerania . Document of Prague bishopric (
1086 ) mentions Zlasane, Trebovyane, Poborane and Dedositze in Silesia.
In the
13th Century , the first dams were built to protect agricultural lands.
After
World War II , the Oder and the
Neisse formed the
Oder-Neisse Line , which was designated as the new border between Germany and Poland. The German populations east of these two rivers were expelled westwards.
Main section:
:
Ostrava -
Bohumín -
Racibórz -
Kędzierzyn-Koźle -
Krapkowice -
Opole -
Brzeg -
Oława -
Jelcz-Laskowice -
Wrocław -
Brzeg Dolny -
Ścinawa -
Szlichtyngowa -
Głogów -
Bytom Odrzański -
Nowa Sól -
Krosno Odrzańskie -
Eisenhüttenstadt -
Frankfurt (Oder) -
Słubice -
Kostrzyn -
Cedynia -
Schwedt -
Vierraden -
Gartz -
Gryfino -
Szczecin -
Police
Dziwna branch (between
Wolin Island and mainland Poland):
:
Wolin -
Kamień Pomorski -
Dziwnów
Świna branch (between Wolin and the
Usedom islands):
:
Świnoujście
Szczecin Lagoon:
:
Nowe Warpno -
Ueckermünde
Peene branch (between Usedom Island and the German mainland):
:
Usedom -
Lassan -
Wolgast
:
Ostravice -
Olza -
Ruda -
Bierawka -
Kłodnica -
Czarnka -
Mała Panew -
Stobrawa -
Widawa -
Jezierzyca -
Barycz -
Krzycki Rów -
Obrzyca -
Jabłonna -
Pliszka -
Ołobok -
Gryzynka -
Warta with the
Noteć -
Myśla -
Kurzyca -
Stubia -
Rurzyca -
Tywa -
Płonia -
Ina -
Gowienica
:
Opava - Psina - Cisek - Olszówka - Stradunia - Osobłoga - Prószkowski Potok -
Nysa Kłodzka - Oława -
Ślęza - Bystrzyca - Średzka Woda - Cicha Woda - Kaczawa - Ślepca -
Zimnica - Dębniak - Biała Woda - Czarna Struga - Śląska Ochla - Zimny Potok -
Bóbr - Olcha - Racza -
Lusatian Neisse
