Editing Main (river)

{{redirect|Main River}}
{{short description|River in Germany}}
{{Infobox river
  | name              = Main
  | image             = Würzburg Löwenbrücke.jpg
  | image_caption     = The Main River in [[Würzburg]]
  | map               = Main-Karte-160710.jpg
  | map_caption       = Position of the Main in Germany
  | map_size          = 300
  | mapframe          = yes
  | mapframe-zoom     = 6
  | source1_location  = [[Upper Franconia]]
  | source1_coordinates= {{coord|50|5|11|N|11|23|54|E|region:DE-BY}}
  | source1_elevation = 895 metres (at Weissmainquelle)
  | mouth_location    = [[Rhine]]
  | mouth_coordinates = {{coord|49|59|40|N|8|17|36|E|region:DE-HE|display=inline,title}}
  | mouth_elevation   = {{Convert|83|m|ft|abbr=on}}
  | progression       = {{PRhine}}
  | subdivision_type1 = Country
  | subdivision_name1 = [[Germany]]
  | length            = {{convert|524.9|km|mi|abbr=on}} {{GeoQuelle|DE-BY|GV}}
  | discharge1_avg    = {{convert|200|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}} 
  | basin_size        = {{convert|27208|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} {{GeoQuelle|DE-BY|GV}}
  | extra             = 
}}

The '''Main''' ({{IPA|de|ˈmaɪn|-|De-Main.ogg}}) is the longest [[tributary]] of the [[Rhine]], one of the major [[List of rivers of Europe|European rivers]]. It rises as the [[White Main]] in the [[Fichtel Mountains]] of northeastern [[Bavaria]]{{efn|The Bavarian authorities define the source of the White Main as the source of the Main itself, although the sources of the Red Main and the Franconian Rezat are actually further from the Rhine.}} and flows west through central [[Germany]] for {{convert|525|km|mi}} to meet the [[Rhine]] below [[Rüsselsheim]], [[Hesse]]. The cities of [[Mainz]] and [[Wiesbaden]] are close to the confluence. 

The largest cities on the Main are [[Frankfurt am Main]], [[Offenbach am Main]] and [[Würzburg]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Main River {{!}} river, Germany|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Main-River|access-date=2021-02-04|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}</ref> It is the longest river lying entirely in Germany (if the [[Weser]]-[[Werra]] are considered separate).

==Geography==
The Main flows through the north and north-west of the [[States of Germany|state]] of [[Bavaria]] and then across southern [[Hesse]]; against the latter it demarcates a third state, [[Baden-Württemberg]], east and west of [[Wertheim am Main]], the northernmost town of that state.  

The upper end of its [[drainage basin|basin]] opposes that of the [[Danube]] where the watershed is recognised by natural biologists, sea salinity studies (and hydrology science more broadly) as the [[European Watershed]].

The Main begins near [[Kulmbach]] in [[Franconia]] at the joining of its two headstreams, the [[Red Main]] (''Roter Main'') and the [[White Main]] (''Weißer Main'').  The Red Main originates in the [[Franconian Jura]] mountain range, {{convert|50|km|mi|abbr=on}} in length, and runs through [[Creussen]] and [[Bayreuth]]. The White Main originates in the [[Fichtel Mountains]]; it is {{convert|41|km|mi|abbr=on}} long. In its upper and middle section, the Main runs through the valleys of the German Highlands. Its lower section crosses the Lower Main Lowlands ([[Hanau-Seligenstadt Basin]] and northern [[Upper Rhine Plain]]) to [[Wiesbaden]], where it discharges into the [[Rhine]]. Major tributaries of the Main are the [[Regnitz]], the [[Franconian Saale]], the [[Tauber]], and the [[Nidda River|Nidda]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Uehlinger |first1=Urs |last2=Wantzen |first2=Karl |last3=Leuven |first3=Rob S.E.W. |last4=Arndt |first4=Hartmut |editor1-last=Tockner |editor1-first=Klement |editor2-last=Uehlinger |editor2-first=Urs |editor3-last=Robinson |editor3-first=Christopher T. |title=Rivers of Europe |date=2009 |publisher=Academic Press |pages=238–239 |chapter=The Rhine River Basin |doi=10.1016/B978-0-12-369449-2.00006-0|isbn=9780123694492 |s2cid=16401687 }}</ref>

The name ''Main'' originates from [[Latin]] ''Moenis'', ''Moenus'' or ''Menus''. It is not related to the name of the city [[Mainz#History|Mainz]] (Latin: ''[[Roman Mogontiacum|Mogontiacum]]'' or ''Moguntiacum'').

==Navigation==
The Main is navigable for shipping from its mouth at the Rhine close to Mainz for {{cvt|396|km|mi}} to [[Bamberg]]. Since 1992, the Main has been connected to the Danube via the [[Rhine-Main-Danube Canal]] and the highly regulated [[Altmühl]] river. The Main has been canalized with 34 large locks ({{cvt|300|xx|12|m|ft|disp=or}}) to allow [[Classification of European Inland Waterways|CEMT class]] V vessels ({{cvt|110|xx|11.45|m|ft|disp=or}}) to navigate the total length of the river. The 16 locks in the adjacent Rhine-Main-Danube Canal and the Danube itself are of the same dimensions.{{Citation Needed|date=July 2020}}

=== Weirs and locks ===
[[File:Verlaufskarte Main.gif|thumb|Dams along the Main]]
There are 34 weirs and locks along the 380&nbsp;km navigable portion of the Main, from the confluence with the Regnitz near Bamberg, to the Rhine.<ref name="wsd">{{cite web |url= http://www.wsd-sued.wsv.de/wasserstrassen/bundeswasserstrassen/daten_und_fakten/index.html |title= Daten und Fakten |date= June 2003 |publisher= Wasser- und Schifffahrtsdirektion Süd |access-date= 7 June 2009 |language= de |trans-title= Facts and figures |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130613103235/http://www.wsd-sued.wsv.de/wasserstrassen/bundeswasserstrassen/daten_und_fakten/index.html |archive-date= 13 June 2013 |url-status= dead }}</ref>

* '''No.:''' Number of the lock (from upstream to downstream).
* '''Name:''' Name of the lock.
* '''Location:''' City or town where the lock is located.
* '''Year built:''' Year when the lock was put into operation (replacement dates are also listed where applicable).
* '''Main-km:''' Location on the Main, measured from the 0&nbsp;km stone in Mainz-Kostheim. The reference point is the center of the lock or lock group.
* '''Distance between locks:''' length in km of impoundment (between adjacent locks).
* '''Altitude:''' Height in meters above mean sea level of the upper water at normal levels.
* '''Height:''' Height of the dam in meters (the height of the Kostheim lock depends on the water level of the Rhine).
* '''Lock length:''' Usable length of the lock chamber in meters.
* '''Lock width:''' Usable width of the lock chamber in meters.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! No.
! Name
! Location
! Year built
! Main-km
! Distance between locks (km)
! Altitude (m)
! Height (m)
! Lock length (m)
! Lock width (m)
|-
| align="center"| 1 || Viereth || [[Viereth-Trunstadt]] || align="center"| 1925 || align="right"| 380.699 || align="right"|  || align="right"| 230.86 || align="right"| 6.00 || align="right"| 289.80 || align="right"| 12.00
|-
| align="center"| 2 || Limbach || [[Eltmann]] || align="center"| 1951 || align="right"| 367.176 || align="right"| {{nts|13.523}} || align="right"| 224.86 || align="right"| 5.36 || align="right"| 299.10 || align="right"| 12.00
|-
| align="center"| 3 || Knetzgau || [[Knetzgau]] ([[Haßfurt]]) || align="center"| 1958 || align="right"| 359.781 || align="right"| {{nts|7.395}} || align="right"| 219.50 || align="right"| 4.24 || align="right"| 298.85 || align="right"| 12.00
|-
| align="center"| 4 || Ottendorf || [[Gädheim]] || align="center"| 1962 || align="right"| 345.263 || align="right"| {{nts|14.518}} || align="right"| 215.26 || align="right"| 7.59 || align="right"| 301.60 || align="right"| 12.00
|-
| align="center"| 5 || Schweinfurt || [[Schweinfurt]] || align="center"| 1963 || align="right"| 332.037 || align="right"| {{nts|13.226}} || align="right"| 207.67 || align="right"| 4.67 || align="right"| 300.60 || align="right"| 12.00
|-
| align="center"| 6 || Garstadt || [[Bergrheinfeld]] || align="center"| 1956 || align="right"| 323.503 || align="right"| {{nts|8.534}} || align="right"| 203.00 || align="right"| 4.69 || align="right"| 299.75 || align="right"| 12.00
|-
| align="center"| 7 || Wipfeld || [[Wipfeld]] || align="center"| 1950 || align="right"| 316.289 || align="right"| {{nts|7.214}} || align="right"| 198.31 || align="right"| 4.31 || align="right"| 300.15 || align="right"| 12.00
|-
| align="center"| 8 || Gerlachshausen mit Volkach || [[Volkach]] ([[Schwarzach am Main]]) || align="center"| 1957 || align="right"| 300.506 || align="right"| {{nts|15.783}} || align="right"| 194.00 || align="right"| 6.30 || align="right"| 300.00 || align="right"| 12.00
|-
| align="center"| 9 || Dettelbach || [[Dettelbach]] || align="center"| 1959 || align="right"| 295.398 || align="right"| {{nts|5.108}} || align="right"| 187.70 || align="right"| 5.50 || align="right"| 299.35 || align="right"| 12.00
|-
| align="center"| 10 || Kitzingen || [[Kitzingen]] || align="center"| 1956 || align="right"| 283.979 || align="right"| {{nts|11.419}} || align="right"| 182.20 || align="right"| 3.66 || align="right"| 299.80 || align="right"| 12.00
|-
| align="center"| 11 || Marktbreit || [[Marktbreit]] ([[Frickenhausen am Main]]) || align="center"| 1955 || align="right"| 275.681 || align="right"| {{nts|8.298}} || align="right"| 178.54 || align="right"| 3.31 || align="right"| 296.40 || align="right"| 12.00
|-
| align="center"| 12 || Goßmannsdorf || [[Ochsenfurt]] || align="center"| 1952 || align="right"| 269.028 || align="right"| {{nts|6.653}} || align="right"| 175.23 || align="right"| 3.40 || align="right"| 296.90 || align="right"| 12.00
|-
| align="center"| 13 || Randersacker || [[Würzburg]] ([[Randersacker]]) || align="center"| 1950 || align="right"| 258.885 || align="right"| {{nts|10.143}} || align="right"| 171.83 || align="right"| 3.30 || align="right"| 299.60 || align="right"| 12.00
|-
| align="center"| 14 || Würzburg || [[Würzburg]] || align="center"| 1954 || align="right"| 252.512 || align="right"| {{nts|6.373}} || align="right"| 168.53 || align="right"| 2.75 || align="right"| 293.10 || align="right"| 12.00
|-
| align="center"| 15 || Erlabrunn || [[Erlabrunn]] ([[Thüngersheim]]) || align="center"| 1935 || align="right"| 241.204 || align="right"| {{nts|11.308}} || align="right"| 165.78 || align="right"| 4.15 || align="right"| 299.20 || align="right"| 12.00
|-
| align="center"| 16 || Himmelstadt || [[Himmelstadt]] || align="center"| 1939 || align="right"| 232.290 || align="right"| {{nts|8.914}} || align="right"| 161.63 || align="right"| 4.30 || align="right"| 299.50 || align="right"| 12.00
|-
| align="center"| 17 || Harrbach || [[Karlstadt am Main|Karlstadt]] ([[Gemünden am Main]]) || align="center"| 1939 || align="right"| 219.466 || align="right"| {{nts|12.824}} || align="right"| 157.33 || align="right"| 4.90 || align="right"| 299.45 || align="right"| 12.00
|-
| align="center"| 18 || Steinbach || [[Lohr am Main]] || align="center"| 1939 || align="right"| 200.673 || align="right"| {{nts|18.793}} || align="right"| 152.43 || align="right"| 5.14 || align="right"| 299.10 || align="right"| 12.00
|-
| align="center"| 19 || Rothenfels || [[Rothenfels]] ([[Marktheidenfeld]]) || align="center"| 1937 || align="right"| 185.887 || align="right"| {{nts|14.786}} || align="right"| 147.29 || align="right"| 5.26 || align="right"| 298.45 || align="right"| 12.00
|-
| align="center"| 20 || Lengfurt || [[Triefenstein]] || align="center"| 1937 || align="right"| 174.508 || align="right"| {{nts|11.379}} || align="right"| 142.03 || align="right"| 3.99 || align="right"| 300.08 || align="right"| 11.98
|-
| align="center"| 21 || Eichel || [[Wertheim am Main|Wertheim]] || align="center"| 1937 || align="right"| 160.467 || align="right"| {{nts|14.041}} || align="right"| 138.04 || align="right"| 4.50 || align="right"| 299.92 || align="right"| 12.00
|-
| align="center"| 22 || Faulbach || [[Wertheim am Main|Wertheim]] ([[Faulbach]]) || align="center"| 1935 || align="right"| 147.065 || align="right"| {{nts|13.402}} || align="right"| 133.54 || align="right"| 4.51 || align="right"| 299.80 || align="right"| 12.10
|-
| align="center"| 23 || Freudenberg || [[Collenberg]] ([[Freudenberg (Baden)|Freudenberg]]) || align="center"| 1934 || align="right"| 133.948 || align="right"| {{nts|13.117}} || align="right"| 129.03 || align="right"| 4.51 || align="right"| 300.00 || align="right"| 12.00
|-
| align="center"| 24 || Heubach || [[Großheubach]] ([[Miltenberg]]) || align="center"| 1932 || align="right"| 122.360 || align="right"| {{nts|11.588}} || align="right"| 124.52 || align="right"| 4.00 || align="right"| 300.00 || align="right"| 12.00
|-
| align="center"| 25 || Klingenberg || [[Klingenberg am Main]] || align="center"| 1930 || align="right"| 113.050 || align="right"| {{nts|9.310}} || align="right"| 120.52 || align="right"| 4.00 || align="right"| 300.71 || align="right"| 12.05
|-
| align="center"| 26 || Wallstadt || [[Kleinwallstadt]] ([[Großwallstadt]]) || align="center"| 1930 || align="right"| 101.203 || align="right"| {{nts|11.847}} || align="right"| 116.52 || align="right"| 4.00 || align="right"| 299.93 || align="right"| 12.00
|-
| align="center"| 27 || Obernau || [[Niedernberg]] ([[Aschaffenburg]]) || align="center"| 1930 || align="right"| 92.909 || align="right"| {{nts|8.294}} || align="right"| 112.52 || align="right"| 4.01 || align="right"| 299.18 || align="right"| 12.00
|-
| align="center"| 28 || Kleinostheim || [[Kleinostheim]] ([[Stockstadt am Main]]) || align="center"| 1920<br> 1972 || align="right"| 77.905 || align="right"| {{nts|15.004}} || align="right"| 108.51 || align="right"| 6.80 || align="right"| 298.36<br />298.22 || align="right"| 12.04<br />12.02
|-
| align="center"| 29 || Krotzenburg || [[Hainburg, Germany|Hainburg]] ([[Großkrotzenburg]]) || align="center"| 1920<br>1983 || align="right"| 63.850 || align="right"| {{nts|14.055}} || align="right"| 101.71 || align="right"| 2.74 || align="right"| 302.30<br />300.01 || align="right"| 12.00<br />12.00
|-
| align="center"| 30 || Mühlheim<br> (formerly Kesselstadt) || [[Maintal]] ([[Mühlheim am Main]]) || align="center"| 1920<br>1980 || align="right"| 53.185 || align="right"| {{nts|10.385}} || align="right"| 98.97 || align="right"| 3.77 || align="right"| 299.90 || align="right"| 12.04
|-
| align="center"| 31 || Offenbach || [[Frankfurt am Main]] ([[Offenbach am Main]]) || align="center"| 1901<br>1957 || align="right"| 38.514 || align="right"| {{nts|14.671}} || align="right"| 95.20 || align="right"| 3.18 || align="right"| 344.03<br />230.07 || align="right"| 12.09<br />13.05
|-
| align="center"| 32 || Griesheim || [[Frankfurt am Main]] || align="center"| 1934 || align="right"| 28.687 || align="right"| {{nts|9.827}} || align="right"| 92.02 || align="right"| 4.49 || align="right"| 344.05<br />344.38 || align="right"| 12.00<br />15.00
|-
| align="center"| 33 || Eddersheim || [[Hattersheim am Main]] ([[Kelsterbach]]) || align="center"| 1934 || align="right"| 15.551 || align="right"| {{nts|13.136}} || align="right"| 87.53 || align="right"| 3.61 || align="right"| 345.46<br />344.26 || align="right"| 12.05<br />15.05
|-
| align="center"| 34 || Kostheim  || [[Hochheim am Main]] ([[Ginsheim-Gustavsburg]]) || align="center"| 1886<br>1934 || align="right"| 3.209 || align="right"| {{nts|12.342}} || align="right"| 83.92 || align="right"| <br>2.36<br>(MW Rhine) || align="right"| 341.90<br />339.02 || align="right"| 15.00<br />Door:&nbsp;12.00<br />Chamber:&nbsp;20.00
|}

=== Hydroelectric power generation ===
Most of the weirs or dams along the Main also have turbines for power generation.
* '''No.:''' Number of the dam/weir (from upstream to downstream).
* '''Name:''' Name of the dam/weir.
* '''Height:''' Height of the dam/weir in meters (the height of the Kostheim dam depends on the water level of the Rhine).
* '''Power:''' Maximum power generation capacity in megawatts.
* '''Turbines:''' Type and number of turbines.
* '''Operator:''' Operator of the hydroelectric plant.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! No.
! Name
! Height (m)
! Power (MW)
! Turbines
! Operator
|-
| align="center"| 1 || Viereth || align="right"| 6.00 || align="right"| 6.20 ||[[Francis turbine|Francis]](3), [[Kaplan turbine|Kaplan]](1) || [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 2 || Limbach || align="right"| 5.36 || align="right"| 3.70 ||[[Kaplan turbine|Kaplan]](2) || [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 3 || Knetzgau || align="right"| 4.24 || align="right"| 2.90 ||[[Kaplan turbine|Kaplan]](2) || [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 4 || Ottendorf || align="right"| 7.59 || align="right"| 6.30 ||[[Kaplan turbine|Kaplan]](2) || [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 5 || Schweinfurt || align="right"| 4.67 || align="right"| 3.80 ||[[Kaplan turbine|Kaplan]](2) || [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 6 || Garstadt || align="right"| 4.69 || align="right"| 3.90||[[Kaplan turbine|Kaplan]](2) ||  [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 7 || Wipfeld || align="right"| 4.31 || align="right"| 2.90||[[Kaplan turbine|Kaplan]](2) ||  [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 8 || Gerlachshausen mit Volkach || align="right"| 6.30 || align="right"| 3.90||[[Kaplan turbine|Kaplan]](2) || [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 9 || Dettelbach || align="right"| 5.50 || align="right"| 4.20||[[Kaplan turbine|Kaplan]](2)|| [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 10 || Kitzingen || align="right"| 3.66 || align="right"| 3.00||[[Kaplan turbine|Kaplan]](2) || [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 11 || Marktbreit || align="right"| 3.31 || align="right"| 2.10||[[Kaplan turbine|Kaplan]](2) || [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 12 || Goßmannsdorf || align="right"| 3.40 || align="right"| 2.00||[[Kaplan turbine|Kaplan]](2) || [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 13 || Randersacker || align="right"| 3.30 || align="right"| 2.00||[[Kaplan turbine|Kaplan]](2) || [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 14 || Würzburg || align="right"| 2.75 || align="right"| 0.90||[[Kaplan turbine|Kaplan]](3) || [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 15 || Erlabrunn || align="right"| 4.15 || align="right"| 2.70||[[Kaplan turbine|Kaplan]](1) || [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 16 || Himmelstadt || align="right"| 4.30 || align="right"| 2.50||[[Kaplan turbine|Kaplan]](1) || [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 17 || Harrbach || align="right"| 4.90 || align="right"| 3.00||[[Kaplan turbine|Kaplan]](2) || [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 18 || Steinbach || align="right"| 5.14 || align="right"| 4.20||[[Kaplan turbine|Kaplan]](2) || [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 19 || Rothenfels || align="right"| 5.26 || align="right"| 4.20||[[Kaplan turbine|Kaplan]](2) || [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 20 || Lengfurt || align="right"| 3.99 ||  align="right"| 2.60||  || [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 21 || Eichel || align="right"| 4.50 ||  align="right"| 3.10||   || [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 22 || Faulbach || align="right"| 4.51 || align="right"| 4.10||   || [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 23 || Freudenberg || align="right"| 4.51 ||  align="right"| 4.30||  || [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 24 || Heubach || align="right"| 4.00 ||  align="right"| 3.40||   || [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 25 || Klingenberg || align="right"| 4.00 || align="right"| 3.00||  || [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 26 || Wallstadt || align="right"| 4.00 || align="right"| 3.40||  || [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 27 || Obernau || align="right"| 4.01 || align="right"| 3.20||   || [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 28 || Kleinostheim || align="right"| 6.80 || align="right"| 9.70||  ||  [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 29 || Krotzenburg || align="right"| 2.74 || align="right"| {{SortKey|0|—}}||  ||
|-
| align="center"| 30 || Mühlheim || align="right"| 3.77 || align="right"| 4.80||  ||  [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 31 || Offenbach || align="right"| 3.18 || align="right"| 4.10|| ||  [[E.ON Wasserkraft]]
|-
| align="center"| 32 || Griesheim || align="right"| 4.49 || align="right"| 4.90|| [[Kaplan turbine|Kaplan]](3) || Wasser- und Schifffahrtsamt Aschaffenburg
|-
| align="center"| 33 || Eddersheim || align="right"| 3.61 || align="right"| 3.84|| [[Kaplan turbine|Kaplan]](3) || Wasser- und Schifffahrtsamt Aschaffenburg
|-
| align="center"| 34 || Kostheim || align="right"| 2.36 || align="right"| 4.9 || Kaplan Pit-Rohrturbinen(2) || WKW Staustufe Kostheim/Main GmbH & Co. KG (Gebaut und Betrieben von [[Stadtwerke Ulm/Neu-Ulm]])
|}

==Tributaries==
[[File:Bassin du Main.png|450px|right|thumb|The Main and its main tributaries]]
[[Tributary|Tributaries]] from source to mouth:
{{col-begin|width=50%}}
{{col-2}}
Left
* [[Regnitz]]
* [[Tauber]]
* [[Mümling]]
{{col-2}}
Right
* [[Rodach (Main)]]
* [[Itz]]
* [[Franconian Saale]]
* [[Aschaff]]
* [[Kahl (river)|Kahl]]
* [[Kinzig (Main)|Kinzig]]
* [[Nidda (river)|Nidda]]
{{col-end}}
{{clr}}
<gallery widths="250" heights="180">
File:Mainfest Frankfurt.jpg|The Main in [[Frankfurt]] at night
Image:Offenbach 4.jpg|The Main in [[Offenbach am Main]]
Image:Mainspitze fg01.JPG|Confluence into the Rhine at [[Mainz-Kostheim]]
</gallery>

==Ports and municipalities==
Around Frankfurt are several large inland ports. Because the river is rather narrow on many of the upper reaches, navigation with larger vessels and push convoys requires great skill.

The largest cities along the Main are [[Frankfurt am Main]], [[Offenbach am Main]] and [[Würzburg]]. The Main also passes the following towns: [[Burgkunstadt]], [[Lichtenfels, Bavaria|Lichtenfels]], [[Bad Staffelstein]], [[Eltmann]], [[Haßfurt]], [[Schweinfurt]], [[Volkach]], [[Kitzingen]], [[Marktbreit]], [[Ochsenfurt]], [[Karlstadt am Main|Karlstadt]], [[Gemünden am Main|Gemünden]], [[Lohr am Main|Lohr]], [[Marktheidenfeld]], [[Wertheim am Main|Wertheim]], [[Miltenberg]], [[Obernburg]], [[Erlenbach am Main|Erlenbach/Main]], [[Aschaffenburg]], [[Seligenstadt]], [[Hainburg, Germany|Hainburg]], [[Hanau]], [[Hattersheim am Main|Hattersheim]], [[Flörsheim]], and [[Rüsselsheim]].

The river has gained enormous importance as a vital part of European "[[Pan-European corridors|Corridor VII]]", the inland waterway link from [[North Sea|the North Sea]] to the [[Black Sea]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.noordersoft.com/indexen.html | title=NoorderSoft Waterways Database | access-date=2007-10-24}}<!-- This link is actually somewhat borderline. We can probably do better than this. --></ref>

==Main line==
{{Main|Main line (political)}}
In a historical and political sense, the Main line is referred to as the northern border of [[Southern Germany]], with its predominantly [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] population. The river roughly marked the southern border of the [[North German Federation]], established in 1867 under [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussian]] leadership as the predecessor of the [[German Empire]].

The river course also corresponds with the [[Speyer line]] isogloss between [[Central German|Central]] and [[Upper German]] dialects, sometimes mocked as ''[[Weißwurstäquator]]''.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Qvale |first1=Per|author-link=Per Qvale |title=From St Jerome to Hypertext: Translation in Theory and Practice |date=12 May 2014 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-317-64053-0 |page=117 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Carrington-Windo |first1=Tristam |last2=Kohl |first2=Katrin |title=Dictionary of Contemporary Germany |date=11 April 2013 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-136-59537-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EbeoAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT586 |language=en}}</ref>

==Recreation==
The [[Main-Radweg]] is a major German bicycle path alongside the river. Approximately {{convert|600|km|mi |disp=x| long (|)}}, it is the first long-distance instance awarded 5&nbsp;stars by the General German Bicycle Club ([[Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad-Club|ADFC]]) in 2008. It starts from [[Creußen]] or [[Bischofsgrün]] and ends in [[Mainz]].<ref>{{cite web |title= Main-Radweg |url= http://www.mainradweg.com/ |access-date= 23 April 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191107080430/https://www.mainradweg.com/ |archive-date= 7 November 2019 |url-status= dead }}</ref>

== Sights ==
* [[Roman camp, Marktbreit|Roman camp at Marktbreit]]

== See also ==

* [[Chain boat navigation on the Main]]
* [[Krassach (River)]]

==Notes and references==
'''Footnotes'''
{{notelist}}

'''Citations'''
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* Haus der Bayerischen Geschichte (ed.), Main und Meer - Porträt eines Flusses. Exhibition Catalogue to the Bayerische Landesausstellung 2013 (German). WBG. {{ISBN|978-3-534-00010-4}}.

== External links ==
{{commons category|Main (river)}}
{{Wiktionary}}
{{EB1911 poster|Main (river)|the River Main}}
* [http://www.mainriver.de/ ''Main River''] Website on the River Main by the Tourist Board of Franconia. {{in lang|en}}
* {{Cite Collier's|wstitle=Main |short=x}}
* {{Cite NSRW|wstitle=Main |short=x}}
* {{HessBib PPN|116505982}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110511132544/http://www.hnd.bayern.de/ Water levels of Bavarian rivers]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080329222218/http://www.wsd-sued.wsv.de/wasserstrassen/bundeswasserstrassen/main/index.html Wasser- und Schifffahrtsdirektion Süd]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20191107080430/https://www.mainradweg.com/ Main Cycleway]
* [http://geoportal.bayern.de/bayernatlas/default?lon=4457010.0&lat=5550245.0&zoom=12&base=952 Historical map of the Main confluence at Steinenhausen] from ''BayernAtlas''

{{Rhine Tributaries}}
{{Rivers of Germany}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Main (river) basin| ]]
[[Category:Rivers of Hesse]]
[[Category:Rivers of Bavaria]]
[[Category:Rivers of Baden-Württemberg]]
[[Category:Geography of Frankfurt]]
[[Category:Federal waterways in Germany]]
[[Category:Rivers of Germany]]