Bastei Bridge, Footbridge in Saxon Switzerland National Park, Germany
Bastei Bridge is a sandstone structure with seven arches that crosses a deep ravine and connects several rock formations. It sits about 305 meters above sea level in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains and offers views of the Elbe River and surrounding ridges.
Local residents built a wooden bridge here in 1824, which was later replaced by the current sandstone structure. The stone bridge was constructed in 1851 to handle the growing number of visitors drawn to the rocky landscape.
The bridge has drawn artists and travelers for generations interested in the striking rock landscape surrounding it. Today visitors stand on the viewing platform to take in the scenery and explore the dramatic cliff faces that frame the structure.
The bridge is open year-round with no entrance fee and can be reached on foot from the surrounding area. Marked hiking paths guide visitors through the rock formations to the bridge and to nearby viewpoints.
The site was a favorite subject for German Romantic painters, particularly Caspar David Friedrich who depicted the rock formations in his works. This artistic connection helped make the location known internationally and drew painters from across Europe.
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