The Channel Tunnel is a railway tunnel beneath the English Channel that connects Folkestone in England with Coquelles near Calais in France, and it was officially opened on 6 May 1994 by Queen Elizabeth II and French President Francois Mitterrand. The idea of a fixed link had been proposed since the early 19th century, but political and financial obstacles delayed it for generations. Construction began in 1988, with crews drilling from both sides, and the project went well over budget. The tunnel comprises two rail tubes and a service tunnel, and its undersea section is about 38 kilometers long. It carries Eurostar passenger trains and shuttle trains that carry cars and trucks, and has greatly shortened travel between London, Paris and Brussels.
Before and after
- 2 January 1994Release of Blender
- 5 February 1994Markale massacres
- 28 February 1994Banja Luka incident
- 22 April 1994Death of Richard Nixon
- 6 May 1994Construction of Channel Tunnel
- from 2 June 1994 to 21 August 1994Operation Tiger
- 15 June 1994Release of The Lion King
- 5 July 1994Founding of Amazon
- 8 July 1994Death of Kim Il-sung
More in Art, literature & culture
- 17 August 1945Publication of Animal Farm
- 1949Publication of Nineteen Eighty-Four
- c. 1950sRise of pop art
- 1955Publication of Guinness World Records
- from 31 March 1997 to 11 November 2022Premiere of Teletubbies
- 2004Construction of Cam Ranh International Airport
The era
This moment belongs to the Contemporary world (1945 CE to today), the world since 1945. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.