Editing Spree (river) (section)

==Course==
[[File:Spree & Kanäle topo.png|thumb|upright=1.5|Course of Spree River with its natural and artificial affluents and branches. In addition the canals joining the Spree and Havel river system to Oder River.]]

It rises in the [[Lusatian Mountains]] and flows north through [[Bautzen]] and [[Spremberg]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Spree River |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Spree-River |publisher=[[Encyclopaedia Britannica]] |access-date=February 19, 2021}}</ref>

In the Spreewald the river passes through the towns of [[Lübbenau]], [[Lübben]] and [[Leibsch]]. Just below Leibsch, the [[Dahme Flood Relief Canal]] diverts water from the Spree to run into the [[Dahme (river)|River Dahme]] at [[Märkisch Buchholz]]. The Spree continues north from Leibsch before flowing into the [[Neuendorfer See]] at the northern edge of the Spreewald. From the Neundorfer See it then flows in an easterly direction to the [[Schwielochsee (lake)|Schwielochsee]], and then in a northerly and westerly direction to the town of [[Fürstenwalde]]. From Fürstenwalde the river continues to flow westwards, through the [[Dämeritzsee]] and [[Müggelsee]], to [[Köpenick]] in the southeastern part of [[Berlin]], where it is joined by its tributary, the River Dahme.<ref name=bsiwg>{{cite book | first = Barry | last = Sheffield | publisher = Imray Laurie Norie & Wilson | location = [[St Ives, Cambridgeshire|St Ives]] | title = Inland Waterways of Germany | year = 1995 | isbn = 0-85288-283-1 | pages = 113–122}}</ref>

The final reach of the Spree is where it is best known. It flows through the city centre of Berlin to join the [[Havel|River Havel]] in [[Spandau (locality)|Spandau]], one of Berlin's western boroughs, which itself ultimately merges with the [[Elbe]] to enter the sea in [[Cuxhaven]], after flowing through [[Hamburg]]. On its route through Berlin, the river passes [[Berlin Cathedral]] (''Berliner Dom''), the [[Reichstag (building)|Reichstag]] and the [[Schloss Charlottenburg]]. The renowned [[Museum Island]] (''Museumsinsel''), with its collection of five major [[museum]]s, is an island in the Spree.<ref name=bsiwg/>

In 2004 the [[Badeschiff]] floating swimming pool opened on the Spree in Berlin.<ref name=dwbs>{{cite web | url = http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,1302942,00.html | title = A Pool with a View | first = Kyle | last = James | publisher = [[Deutsche Welle]] | access-date = May 15, 2010}}</ref>