Floods in Erfurt
Since 1898 rather unlikely
Mass water in the city center
Floods and floods were a constant danger for the city of Erfurt until the 19th century. No wonder: the Thuringian Forest is not far and the Gera brings water from there to Erfurt quite quickly. This is what happened on February 6th, 1374. A rise in temperature leads first to melting snow and then to flooding. This reaches the city at the Roßwehr. The narrow wall arches initially create a backlog, but then the masses of water pour into the city center.
A solution to the problem only became apparent with the dismantling of the city walls and defenses that surrounded Erfurt until the 1870s. With the construction of the flood ditch, which largely follows the course of the outer city wall, flood water is diverted around the city center.
Water levels in the ditch may visibly rise
We today's Erfurters have a former Erfurt resident to thank for this: Mayor Richard Breslau played a key role in promoting this type of flood protection during his term of office from 1871 to 1889. From his monument on the Löberwallgraben he still looks towards the building, which was completed in 1898.
The whole thing is controlled via the paper weir at Luisenpark . The flood ditch begins here and can lead excess water that would otherwise have ended up in the city center around it. The water level in the ditch can then visibly rise,
But in the city center everything stays dry and the numerous Gera arms move peacefully through the city.
After the confluence of the Gera and the Flutgraben, a wild stream often appears in the north of Erfurt. But it usually leaves the city area without causing much damage.
