Altenbeken Viaduct, Railway viaduct in Altenbeken, Germany
The Altenbeken Viaduct is a limestone railway bridge that stretches about 482 meters across the landscape. It rises roughly 35 meters above the Beke valley using a series of arches to support the tracks above.
King Frederick William IV opened the viaduct on July 21, 1853, and later joked about its high construction costs. During World War II, Allied bombing damaged it, but restoration was finished in October 1950.
The structure is so important to Altenbeken that its silhouette appears on the town's coat of arms. It shapes how residents see themselves and their connection to the place's past.
The viaduct is still in use as an active railway bridge on the Hamm-Warburg line, carrying trains between Paderborn and Altenbeken. The best views come from below in the Beke valley or from the surrounding walking paths.
During the war, the viaduct was so badly damaged that passengers had to use ladders to cross it. This shows how critical this bridge was to the region and how remarkable its swift rebuilding was.
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