Tausendfüßler, Road bridge in central Düsseldorf, Germany
The Tausendfüßler was an elevated road bridge stretching 536 meters across the city, structured by a main branch and secondary span supported by Y-shaped steel pillars. The construction connected northern districts to the center without intersections or traffic congestion.
Built between 1961 and 1962, the bridge served as a vital north-south traffic route in Düsseldorf until its demolition in 2013. Public input from citizens shaped the final design of this prominent structure when it was first planned.
The structure held protected status as a technical monument from 1993 onward and formed an architectural ensemble with the Thyssen building and the Theater. This combination shaped how people experienced the city center's visual character for decades.
As an elevated structure, it was accessible only to vehicles traveling on a separate level above the street. Pedestrians could not use it, so walking routes through the city center remained separate from this traffic flow.
The name came from the many support pillars that held the structure, which resembled the legs of a centipede when seen from a distance. Local residents coined this nickname themselves, and it quickly became the common way people referred to this bridge.
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