Kurt-Schumacher-Brücke

The Kurt-Schumacher-Brücke is a cable-stayed bridge spanning the Rhine between Mannheim and Ludwigshafen. It carries four car lanes, dedicated tram tracks, a cycle path, and a pedestrian path arranged side by side across the river.

Construction began in the 1960s and the bridge opened in 1972 to better connect Mannheim and Ludwigshafen. It was groundbreaking for its time with an innovative cable design unlike previous structures.

The bridge serves as a crossing between two German states, with the border between Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate running down its center. Travelers pass from one region to another without any visible marker, simply by moving across the road.

The bridge has separate sections for each type of traffic, meaning pedestrians and cyclists are safely separated from cars and trams. An elevator in one of the main supports helps people with limited mobility navigate the height.

The most striking feature is a single A-shaped pylon that rises high above the roadway and supports the entire structure with steel cables. This asymmetrical design is uncommon and makes the bridge instantly recognizable from a distance.