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2.1              Importance of rivers and lakes in European cities

Almost all cities around the world were built along waterways, or along a coast of an ocean, sea or lake. The multifaceted relationships between urban planning and water have structured and influenced the development of metropolitan areas, cities, towns, rural areas, villages, and even neighbourhoods throughout history and will continue to do so (Brandeis et al. (2014)).

Over time, the settling of humans next to rivers and lakes has transformed the natural environment into the towns and cities we see today. Urbanisation has come at a cost to rivers and lakes, as they have been heavily degraded to enable development, carry waste, supply drinking water and facilitate transport and industry.

In Europe, almost all capital cities have at least one major river or lake crossing their urban landscape (see Table 2). The largest rivers of Europe such as the Danube, the Rhine and the Elbe are home to a number of cities on their main channels, their tributaries of the wider catchment and on their estuaries.

Table 2. Major rivers and lakes of the capitals of the 33 EEA member countries.

EEA member countries

Capitals

Rivers and lakes

Austria

Vienna

River Danube, River Wienfluss, River Liesing

Belgium

Brussels

River Senne

Bulgaria

Sofia

A number of rivers cross the city, including the   Vladayska and the Perlovska

Croatia

Zagreb

River Sava, Jarun Lake

Cyprus

Nicosia

River Pedieos

Czech Republic

Prague

River Vltava

Denmark

Copenhagen

Lakes Sortedam, Peblinge, and Sankt Jørgens Lake   (originally, there was one long stream which was dammed)

Estonia

Tallinn

Lake Ülemiste, Lake Harku,   River Pirita

Finland

Helsinki

River Vantaa

France

Paris

River Seine, Lake Daumesnil

Germany

Berlin

River Spree, River Havel, several lakes (Tegeler   See, Großer Wannsee, Großer Müggelsee)

Greece

Athens

Historical rivers are the Cephissus river, the   Ilisos and the Eridanos stream

Hungary

Budapest

River Danube

Iceland

Reykjavík

River Elliðaá

Ireland

Dublin

River Liffey, River Tolka, River Dodder

Italy

Rome

River Tiber

Latvia

Riga

River Daugava

Liechtenstein

Vaduz

-

Lithuania

Vilnius

River Vilnia, River Neris,   numerous lakes

Luxembourg

Luxembourg

River Alzette, River   Pétrusse

Malta

Valletta

-

The Netherlands

Amsterdam

River Amstel, River/Lake IJ

Norway

Oslo

River Alna, River   Akerselva, Lake Maridalsvannet, Lake Østensjøvannet   and many smaller lakes

Poland

Warsaw

River Vistula, several lakes   e.g. Czerniaków Lake, the lakes in the Łazienki or Wilanów Parks, Kamionek   Lake.

Portugal

Lisbon

River Tagus

Romania

Bucharest

River Dâmbovița, River   Colentina, numerous lakes e.g. Lake Herăstrău, Lake Floreasca, Lake Tei, and   Lake Colentina,

Slovakia

Bratislava

River Danube, River Morava,   several lakes

Slovenia

Ljubljana

Rivers Ljubljanica, Sava,   Gradaščica, Mali Graben, Iška and Iščica

Spain

Madrid

River Manzanares

Sweden

Stockholm

Lake Mälaren; River   Norrström

Switzerland

Bern

River Aare

Turkey

Ankara

River Ankara Çayı ran   through the center of the Roman town; it is now covered and diverted

United Kingdom

London

River Thames, St. James Park   Lake, Serpentine Lake

 

Some of the most popular tourist city destinations in Europe are built on and strongly defined by their rivers, among others Paris on the River Seine, Rome on the Tiber, Budapest and Vienna on the Danube, Prague on the Vltava and London on the Thames. Some European cities, such as Dublin, are characterised by a complex water landscape unknown to most visitors passing through (see box below).

Previous comments

  • thordtry (Tryggvi Thordarson) 09 Aug 2016 11:49:40

    Regarding lakes and rivers mentioned in Table 2 for Reykjavík, Iceland:

    The river already mentioned (Elliðaá) is usually called Elliðaár (in plural because of two channels).

    Additional Lakes that might be metioned are Elliðavatn and Langavatn but both are only partly inside the bounderies of the municipality of Reykjavík.

    Additional river is the river Korpa and the river Leirvogsá. Leirvogsá lies for the most part on the boundery of the municipality of Reykjavík and the neighbouring municipality.

    b.r. Tryggvi

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