A Vision to Redraw Continents
In the 1920s, German architect Herman Sörgel proposed Atlantropa—a century-long engineering plan to lower the Mediterranean Sea and join Europe and Africa into a supercontinent. His idea involved enormous hydroelectric dams, with the largest spanning the Strait of Gibraltar.
A Sea Turned to Land
The main dam would lower the sea by 200 meters (660 feet), exposing vast areas for farming and settlement. Additional dams across the Dardanelles and between Sicily and Tunisia would further reshape the basin. The Sahara would be irrigated via a dam on the Congo River.
A Continent Reimagined
Sörgel envisioned Atlantropa as a peaceful power bloc to rival America and Asia. It included plans for massive public works, a pan-continental power grid, and even sea-sized lakes in Africa. His supporters included engineers and architects from northern Europe.
A Forgotten Dream
Atlantropa peaked in interest during the 1930s and again after World War II. But with the rise of nuclear power, the decline of colonialism, and the project’s vast costs, it faded after Sörgel’s death in 1952. The Atlantropa Institute closed in 1960.
In the 1920s, German architect Herman Sörgel proposed Atlantropa—a century-long engineering plan to lower the Mediterranean Sea and join Europe and Africa into a supercontinent. His idea involved enormous hydroelectric dams, with the largest spanning the Strait of Gibraltar.🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/rJQoR7xnMJ
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