The river Bille () is a small, slow-flowing German river in Stormarn, Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg, a right tributary of the Elbe. Its source is near Linau, north of the Hahnheide forest. It then flows south of Trittau, representing the border between Stormarn and Lauenburg, continues south of Reinbek and reaches the river Elbe near Billwerder. A lot of old estates and tasteful parks are laid out along its riverbank. Its total length is 65 km. Sections of the Bille which flow near or inside the Sachsenwald forest are protected by the Billetal nature reserve.

The Bille is one of three rivers which flow through the city of Hamburg, the other two being the Elbe and the Alster.

Tributaries

The upper Bille drains a wide catchment area with many brooks and small stretches of water. Main tributaries are the Corbek feeding the Bille near Witzhave and the Schwarze Au at Aumühle, having drained wide parts of the large Sachsenwald forest.

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File:Hh-bergedorf-billestaudamm.jpg|Bille in Hamburg-Bergedorf

File:Schloß Reinbek P4070049.JPG|Bille at Schloss Reinbek (Mühlenteich)

File:RK 2104 P1840687 Billetal Einmündung Corbek.jpg|Corbek diverging from the Bille in the Billetal near Witzhave

File:RK 2104 P1840683 Billetal.jpg|Bille in the Billetal near Witzhave

File:RK 2104 P1840681 Billetal Lange Brücke Witzhave.jpg|Long Bridge over the Bille near Witzhave in the Billetal

File:Bille 24.11. DSCI0227.jpg|Bille in the Sachsenwald

File:RK 2104 P1840737 Bille Sachsenwald.jpg|Bille flowing through the Sachsenwald

File:RK 2105 P1840824 Schwarze Au Einmündung Bille.jpg|Schwarze Au flowing into the Bille in the Sachsenwald

File:River flowing into the Bille in Aumühle.jpg|Schwarze Au tributary that flows into the Bille, in Aumühle

File:RK 2105 P1840821 Mühlenteich Aumühle.jpg|Mühlenteich in Aumühle, which flows into the Bille via the Schwarze Au

File:Winter an der Bille.jpg|Bille as seen from the Sachsenwald in Winter

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Landmarks

  • Grander Mühle, an ancient watermill at Kuddewörde, dating back to 1303
  • Schloss Reinbek, a castle from 1572
  • Schloss Bergedorf, a castle showing wooden raftwork and Brick Gothic

See also

  • List of rivers of Schleswig-Holstein
  • List of rivers of Hamburg
  • Much information on Bille from the Hamburg Department of the Environment (German)