Balge (river)

The Balge (also known as the Balje) was a short branch of the Weser on its eastern side, running through what is now the centre of Bremen. As it served as a harbour in the early Middle Ages, it significantly contributed to Bremen's development as a port. The river gradually narrowed until in 1608, it was canalised. In 1838, it was completely filled with earth.

At the time when the diocese was founded, the low-lying land around Bremen was swampy with several islands formed by the Weser and its branches. In 1988/1989 construction work involving excavations at the corner of Martinistrasse and Wachtstrasse revealed three small waterway channels from around the year 800 in an area of 50 m × 40 m (160 ft × 130 ft). There was also a river boat from the 9th century. From the 9th century onwards, the terrain changed significantly, partly as a result of floods which brought sand into the area, partly through increased human settlement. Gradually, the marshes and the river's minor branches disappeared. The Balge, together with the Kleine Weser (Little Weser), was one such branch. The theory that the Balge might at some time have been the main stream of the Weser has never been proven. Originally, the Balge left the Weser at Altenwall. In a bend stretching over some 650 m (2, 130 ft), it ran almost parallel to the main river along the Bremer Düne. It became separated from the Weser by some 200 m (660 ft) at the Marktplatz before rejoining it and opening up like a funnel at the “Zweite Schlachtpforte”. The island between the Schlachte and the Weser covered roughly today's Martini and Tiefer districts. Originally, the width of the Balge varied from about 30 to 50 m (98 to 164 ft).

Flows through: Germany.

River data from Wikidata (CC0); lengths normalised to a common unit.