The Bega Canal or Begej Canal (; ) is a navigation canal of

Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

and

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

. It is the first navigation canal built on the present-day territory of

, and serves the city of

Timișoara Timișoara (, , ; , also or ; ; ; see #Etymology, other names) is the capital city of Timiș County, Banat, and the main economic, social and cultural center in Western Romania. Located on the Bega (Tisza), Bega River, Timișoara is consider ...

. Its name comes from the Bega river. It crosses the territory of

Timiș County Timiș () is a county (''județ'') of western Romania on the border with Hungary and Serbia, in the historical regions of Romania, historical region of Banat, with the county seat at Timișoara. It is the westernmost and the largest county in Ro ...

in western Romania and proceeds into the territory of

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

, merging with

Begej The Bega or Begej (; ; ; , formerly ''Kistemes''), is a 244 km (152 mile) long river in Romania (169 km; 105 mi.) and Serbia (75 km; 47 mi.). It rises in the Poiana Ruscă Mountains in Romania, part of the Carpathian M ...

river near the village of Klek.

History

Construction of the canal was completed in 1754. During the 18th-19th centuries it was the main means of transporting goods in the area as it connected the town to the country's capitals:

Budapest Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...

and

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

. Nowadays it is used for amusement and sports.

Gallery

File:Bega Canal 1.jpg, The Bega Canal at night (1) File:Bega Canal 0.jpg, The Bega Canal at night (2) File:Bega Canal 2.jpg, The canal in the summer of 2012

References

External links

Buildings and structures in Timișoara Canals in Romania Canals in Serbia Geography of Vojvodina Canals opened in 1754 1754 establishments in the Habsburg monarchy CBega Canal {{Romania-transport-stub