The Karl-Theodor-Bridge in Heidelberg crosses the Neckar River with 9 arches. Elector Karl Theodor built this stone arch bridge in 1788, after the eighth previous bridge at this point had been destroyed by a flodding. 1799 there was a skirmish between 300 Austrians and several thousand-strong French revolutionary troops. While the Austrian defenders were initially successful, they ceded the City to the French the next day because of the hopeless situation.
At the end of World War II Wehrmacht pioneers blasted the fifth and sixth pillar to prevent the invasion of the American liberators. But the next day, the 63rd U.S. Infantry Division was able to easily march into Heidelberg.
In the 1960s, the bridge had to be modificated because of increasing traffic: The quay has been heigthened and the land arch has been extended over two lanes.
The building has a length of 200 m and nine arches with spans of 12.20, 18.80, 5 × 22.00, 11.72 and 7.98 meters. The gate with the two 28 m high towers dates from the Middle Ages. The two figures show the Elector Karl Theodor, and the Italic goddess Minerva. #Allemagne #Alte_Brücke #arch_bridge #BadeWurtemberg #BadenWürttemberg #Bogenbrücke #bridge #Deutschland #Germania #Germany #Heidelberg #Karl_Theodor #Kurfürst #pont #pont_arc #ponte #Steinbrücke #stone_bridge #vecchio #vieux
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