The Dnieper-Bug Canal is an artificial water artery that connects the tributary of the Pripyat – the Pina River (the Dnieper’s basin), and the tributary of the Bug – the Mukhavets River (the Visla’s basin). The Canal is navigable; its length is 244 kilometers, the large enterprise RUOCE "The Dnieper-Bug waterway" is engaged in its service.

The idea of building a canal connecting the deep rivers Pripyat and Bug was nurtured for a very long time. First it was announced at the Seim in the distant 1655; however, the implementation of the plan was begun only a hundred years later. In 1775 after the approval of the project by the last king of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Stanislaw August Poniatowski builders dug the first part of the canal – a cut, the length of which was eight kilometers. The works were carried out under the direction of the specialist SHults who had been invited in Brest region fr om Sweden.

In 1784 the initiative Polish gentleman Mateusz Butrimovich allowed to sail on the waters of the Dnieper-Bug Canal vessels, laden with food. The ships left Pinsk, went to Warsaw and then to Gdansk.  

Originally the Dnieper-Bug Canal was named the Royal Canal. It happened because its official opening took place with the direct participation of the King. August Stanislaw Poniatowski with his retinue, consisting of forty people, sailed through the Canal on the amazing ship that had been hollowed out of the whole log of a century-old oak.  The King stayed four days in Gorodets, located near Kobrin, and since then the Canal had been called the Royal one and nothing else.

However, then the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was in crisis. Soon its territories were divided between Russia and Poland, and the grandiose construction of the Canal was frozen for a long term. Only many years later, in 1837 the Russian authorities, who got power over Pinsk’s lands, resumed the works. As the significance of the Canal was difficult to overestimate, because it was the only navigable way that could connect the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea, therefore its building was finished, sparing no time and effort. By 1848 the width of the bottom was fourteen meters. It is also noteworthy for the fact that in 1886 and 1890 five huge destroyers, having had a displacement of from 89 to 164 tons each, were moved through it. The war ships were transported from Elbing, wh ere they had been built, to Sevastopol, and towage was carried out by paddle-steamers as well as by barge haulers.

In 1919 the territory of Pinsk appeared again under the rule of the Polish government, which began reconstruction works, because they realized the key place of the Dnieper-Bug Canal in water transportation. Thanks to them, from 1929 till 1939 here appeared two first locks – Duboy and Pererub.

In 1941 the Canal was used only by the invaders who had occupied Brest region. It had being continued until partisans destroyed the locks. It became impossible to carry out cargo transportation.

In the post war period the Canal was rebuilt very quickly, in 1945 ships sailed on its waters.

If you are an amateur of activity holidays, fishing, nature walk, you should visit this place without fail! The wonderful nature of Brest region, the Canal’s water rich in fish and fresh air guarantee a perfect pastime.