Sternbrücke Weimar, Stone arch footbridge in Weimar, Germany

The Sternbrücke is a 62-metre-long, 7-metre-wide stone bridge over the Ilm, built of limestone with four arches. Its iron railing, set between ball-topped chain piers, has plain crossed bars, and oval openings in the piers relieve pressure at high water. Pointed cutwaters face upstream.

Johann Moritz Richter the Elder built the bridge between 1651 and 1654 as part of the reconstruction of the Wilhelmsburg city palace, which burned down in 1774. It linked the palace with the hunting grounds via today's Leibnizallee. A fourth limestone arch replaced a wooden drawbridge in 1794, and Duke Karl August had the Flößgraben filled in 1798.

The bridge links two neighborhoods and allows pedestrians to move between residential areas and the city center. It serves as part of Weimar's daily rhythm, used by both locals and visitors alike.

The best way to explore the bridge is to start from one of the nearby parks and enjoy the view from the middle section. During rain the surface can become slippery, so walking slowly and wearing sturdy shoes is advisable.

The bridge offers a special view of the river valley and surrounding forest areas from its middle section. This vantage point is treasured by locals as a hidden break from city noise.