Hafendrehbrücke, Steel swing bridge in Krefeld, Germany
The Hafendrehbrücke is a steel bridge with a rotating mechanism that crosses the entrance to Krefeld's Rhine port, connecting the Linn district to a peninsula between the port and riverbank. It features a horizontal rotating platform that swings to let ships pass through.
Construction of this steel bridge began in 1905 and was completed rapidly, with the first rotation happening just months after building started. It was built during a period of major port growth when modern machinery was transforming harbor operations.
The bridge displays Art Nouveau details such as decorative lamps and railings that show the taste of early industrial design. You can see these ornamental touches when walking across, which set it apart from purely functional structures.
The bridge can be crossed on foot or by bicycle and offers good views of the port and surrounding area. Visitors should expect to wait if ships need passage, since the rotation interrupts traffic flow.
What stands out is that just four people can manually operate the entire 700-ton rotating platform if the electrical system fails. This shows the clever mechanical design from the early 1900s that works even without power.
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