Ludendorff Bridge

The Ludendorff Bridge was a 325 meter railway crossing made of steel that spanned the Rhine between Remagen and Erpel, featuring three arch sections with stone towers on both banks. Walkways ran alongside the tracks to provide a safe passage for people on foot.

German engineers built this crossing between 1916 and 1919 to move troops more quickly toward the Western Front during World War I. In March 1945, American soldiers captured the intact structure, which collapsed ten days later and claimed the lives of 28 engineers.

The western towers now house the Peace Museum, where photographs, models, and personal items belonging to soldiers are displayed. People walk along the Rhine promenade and pause to observe the stone remains as part of their journey through the area.

You can reach the remains by following footpaths along the Rhine riverbank in Remagen, where signs explain the history. The museum in the old towers stays open year-round and offers quiet areas for reflection without heavy foot traffic.

During the capture, a German bomb weighing about a ton bounced off the deck without detonating. Despite attacks from jet aircraft and rockets, one stone arch on the eastern bank still stands today as evidence of the original structure's resilience.

Location: Remagen

Location: Erpel

Inception: 1919

Official opening: 1919

Length: 325 m

Made from material: iron

Website: http://bruecke-remagen.de

GPS coordinates: 50.57917,7.24417

Latest update: December 8, 2025 08:20