Alte Nahebrücke

The Alte Nahebrücke (Old Nahe Bridge) is a medieval stone arch bridge in Bad Kreuznach. It originally spanned the Nahe river and a neighbouring canal. Only the section spanning the canal remains intact. With four houses on its piers, it is one of the few remaining bridges in the world that has buildings on it.

Alte Nahebrücke was built around 1300 by Simon II, Count of Sponheim-Kreuznach, who ruled the town, to replace a wooden bridge which connected settlements on either side of the Nahe river. It provided an important connection on the road from to Mainz to Trier, and it formed part of the town fortifications. Towers on the bridge, one of which was for a period used as a prison, were destroyed by French troops in the late 17th century.

The bridge has two arms; one spanning the Nahe river and another, which supports the old buildings, spanning the Mühlenteich (mill pond) canal, which is parallel to the river. On Friday, 16 March 1945 the arm of the bridge spanning the river was blown up by German troops to hinder the approach of American forces. This destroyed a Baroque style Christian stone cross (a 1934 reproduction of the original) which was on the sixth pier of the bridge, and a statue of Saint John of Nepomuk, the bridge's patron saint, which was on the seventh pier.

References:

• Wikipedia

Address

Mannheimer Straße 94, Bad Kreuznach, Germany

Details

Founded: c. 1300
Category: Miscellaneous historic sites in Germany
Historical period: Habsburg Dynasty (Germany)