Before us lies the Pleißemühlgraben a canal with a rich history. Imagine its origins dating back to 930. This predates Leipzig’s first documented mention in 1015. The Pleißemühlgraben wasn’t a natural waterway. It was cleverly engineered to power mills. It branched off the Pleiße River near present-day Fockeberg in Connewitz. The canal flowed along Wundtstraße and Harkortstraße. It then continued past the west promenade towards the Natural History Museum. The Pleißemühlgraben’s journey continued through Rosentalgasse into the zoo. It passed Primavesistraße in Gohlis. Finally it emptied into the White Elster behind the Rosental sewage treatment plant. A section between the zoo and the treatment plant was later renamed the Parthe.
Several mills thrived along the Pleißemühlgraben. These included the Nonnenmühle Thomasmühle Barfußmühle and the Gohlismühlen. Only part of the Gohlismühlen remains today. It’s now used as a wine depot and a kindergarten. The Pleiße River itself was profoundly impacted by the Pleißemühlgraben. It literally had its water diverted. The canal became known as the Pleiße while the original river became the Alte Pleiße. The Alte Pleiße was eventually filled in by 1879.
The Pleißemühlgraben wasn’t always visible. Parts were covered over in the 1950s due to pollution. The canal’s northern section from the Natural History Museum to the Parthe was filled in. Since the 1990s efforts have been made to uncover the Pleißemühlgraben. Sections have been opened to the public. The project aims to restore the Pleißemühlgraben to its 1950s length. This ambitious plan hopes to complete this restoration by 2030. The Pleißemühlgraben is more than just a canal. It’s a testament to Leipzig’s ingenuity and its evolving relationship with its waterways. Its restoration is a journey back in time a tribute to Leipzig’s industrial past and its vibrant present.