Brickegickel, Wayside cross at Old Bridge, Frankfurt, Germany

Brickegickel is a gilded bronze rooster mounted on a crucifix atop a late-Baroque sandstone base, set on the Old Bridge over the middle of the navigation channel. The present figure, made by sculptor Edwin Hüller, was unveiled on 17 November 2017 after restoration; its gold layer was renewed in 2014.

The first monument was installed in 1401 on the central arch of the Old Bridge as a navigational marker. Over the centuries, this location became deeply intertwined with a tragic chapter in Frankfurt's past.

The rooster atop the monument symbolizes watchfulness and vigilance over the river below. It stands alongside a cross, together representing both divine mercy and the solemn history of those who faced their final moments here.

The monument sits on the Old Bridge and is easily reached on foot from the city center. Best viewing comes from walking across the bridge itself, where you can see the structure clearly from multiple angles.

The rooster was not a navigation aid: it stood atop a crucifix placed in 1401 on the central arch to mark the deepest channel, and its role was symbolic, urging watchfulness and repentance. Executions by drowning took place at this spot; Frankfurt court records list about 130 people drowned in the Main between 1366 and 1613.