Lahn

Lahn
Map of the Lahn from its source in the Rothaargebirge to its mouth near Koblenz
Location
CountryGermany
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationNear the Lahnhof in the municipality of Netphen, North Rhine-Westphalia
 • coordinates50°53′32″N 8°14′30″E / 50.89222°N 8.24167°E / 50.89222; 8.24167
 • elevation602 m (1,975 ft)
Mouth 
 • location
Rhine at Lahnstein,
Rhineland-Palatinate
 • coordinates
50°18′32″N 7°35′42″E / 50.30889°N 7.59500°E / 50.30889; 7.59500
 • elevation
61 m (200 ft)
Length245.6 km (152.6 mi)
Basin size5,925.6 km2 (2,287.9 sq mi) [1]
Discharge 
 • average54 m3/s (1,900 cu ft/s)
Basin features
ProgressionRhineNorth Sea
Lahn
-11.06
Badenburger Wehr
-5.00
Gießen
0.00
Grand Duchy of Hesse
Prussia
former
border
4.64
Dorlar
6.00
Garbenheim
8.05
Naunheim
12.00
Wetzlar
12.20
Wetzlar Waterways and
Shipping Administration
12.22
Federal waterway
16.49
Altenberg
19.26
Oberbiel
20.26
Niederbiel
25.00
Leun
28.50
Stockhausen
36.26
Löhnberg
39.00
Weilburg tunnel
Bundesstraße 456 number.svg B 456
41.32
Weilburg staircase
44.00
Odersbach
45.54
Kirschhofen
51.20
Fürfurt
54.50
Aumenau
59.50
Arfurt
62.55
Villmar
65.29
Runkel
70.00
Wetzlar
Diez
Administration
border
71.5
Marina Dehrn
73.00
Dietirchen
76.60
Limburg
83.23
Diez
83.5
Diez Waterways and
Shipping Administration
91.00
Balduinstein
91.83
Cramberg
96.78
Scheid
110.00
Obernhof
105.80
Kalkhofen
113.10
Hollerich
117.62
Nassau
121.00
Dausenau
122.37
Dausenau
126.99
Bad Ems
129.28
Nievern
133.10
Ahl
135.96
Lahnstein
137.00
Rhine

The Lahn is a 245.6-kilometre-long (152.6 mi), right (or eastern) tributary of the Rhine in Germany. Its course passes through the federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia (23.0 km), Hesse (165.6 km), and Rhineland-Palatinate (57.0 km).

It has its source in the Rothaargebirge, the highest part of the Sauerland. It meets the Rhine at Lahnstein, near Koblenz. Important cities along the Lahn include Marburg, Gießen, Wetzlar, Limburg an der Lahn, Weilburg and Bad Ems.

Tributaries to the Lahn include the Ohm, Dill, the Weil and the Aar. The lower Lahn has many dams with locks, allowing regular shipping from its mouth up to Runkel. Riverboats also operate on a small section north of the dam in Gießen.