Saalebrücke Bad Kösen, Stone arch road bridge in Bad Kösen, Germany
Saalebrücke Bad Kösen is a stone arch road bridge that spans roughly 137 meters across the Saale River with multiple arches and small towers on its support pillars. It connects the older district on the right bank to the newer quarter on the left bank and carries vehicle traffic today.
A medieval bridge at this location was destroyed by severe flooding in 1890, prompting construction of the current bridge in 1893. The crossing point had long been part of the ancient Via Regia trade route and remained strategically important.
The bridge once served as a checkpoint where officials collected tolls from timber raft operators on the Saale River. This role shaped daily life at the crossing until the early 1900s.
The bridge is easily walkable on foot and offers good views of the river and surrounding landscape from multiple points. You can find parking in both districts it connects, and crossing takes only a few minutes.
The bridge was designed with intentionally varying arch widths - the central spans are noticeably wider than those toward the shores. This asymmetrical pattern was an advanced engineering solution for optimal water flow.
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