King Louis Bridge, Wooden footbridge in Kempten, Germany.
King Louis Bridge is a wooden footbridge and bicycle crossing over the Iller River in Kempten. It consists of three sections supported by two Howe truss structures made of larch wood, creating a distinctive presence in the city landscape.
Built in 1851 for the Royal Bavarian State Railways, it originally served trains crossing the Iller valley. By 1905, increased locomotive weights made it unsuitable for rail use, leading to its conversion into a path for pedestrians and cyclists.
The bridge carries the name of Bavarian King Ludwig II, reflecting its importance to local identity and heritage. People use this wooden crossing daily as a vital link between different parts of the city.
The bridge is easy to access and well-positioned for pedestrians and cyclists traveling through Kempten. Be aware that the wooden surface can be slippery in wet conditions, and the width is narrow if you encounter larger groups moving in the opposite direction.
The structure incorporates sloped larch wood shingles as a weather protection system that shields the framework while keeping the engineering design visible to passersby. This thoughtful detail reveals how builders balanced durability with visual honesty about the construction.
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