Augustów Lock

The Augustów Lock, the fifth in sequence on the Augustów Canal, is located in the area of Augustów, near National Road No. 8. It was built between 1825 and 1826 under the supervision of Lieutenant Engineer Konstanty Jodko. The structure is 46.8 meters long and 6.02 meters wide, with a lift height of 2.44 meters. After World War II, in 1944, the lock was blown up by the Third Reich's army, but it was rebuilt in a new form between 1947 and 1948 by the company "Hydrotrest." The changes included the use of metal gates, bypass channels, and a gate-opening mechanism operated by a crank, which extended the locking time by about 7 minutes. The lock is not only an important part of water infrastructure but also a cultural heritage site of the region, which played a key role in transporting goods in the 19th century. Interestingly, the lock is part of a larger canal system that enables navigation through the challenging terrain of the Augustów Wilderness, making it a tourist attraction. Today, thanks to architectural modernizations, the Augustów Lock stands as a symbol of the past and a testament to the engineering ingenuity of its time.