Chain Bridge, Footbridge in Nuremberg, Germany

The Chain Bridge (Kettensteg) is a pedestrian suspension bridge over the Pegnitz, linking Maxplatz in the Sebalder Altstadt with Untere Kreuzgasse in Lorenz. It has two spans of 33 m each, a total length of 68 m, and a wooden deck suspended by wrought-iron hangers from two strands of wrought-iron eyebars on each side. The chains are anchored in masonry blocks and, since 1909, pass over iron-truss towers.

Built in 1824, the Chain Bridge is the oldest surviving chain bridge on the European continent. Its wrought-iron eyebar chains were originally carried by three wooden towers on the banks and on a small island. The towers were replaced by iron trusses after the floods of 1909. In 1930 the deck was stiffened with steel girders and wooden piles; after closure in 2009, it was rebuilt and reopened on 22 December 2010.

The bridge reflects engineering methods from the early 1800s and serves as a daily passage connecting two parts of the city. Visitors crossing it experience how the Pegnitz River has been integrated into the urban landscape for generations.

The bridge sits between the medieval fortifications near the river center and is easy to locate while walking through the old town area. Access is straightforward from either riverbank, and the best views come from standing on the structure itself or from nearby paths along the water.

When restored in 2010, workers secretly reinforced the wooden deck by adding a concealed steel support structure beneath it. This hidden modernization kept the historic look intact while making the bridge safer for daily foot traffic.