Historische Holzbrücke Wünschendorf, Covered wooden bridge in Wünschendorf/Elster, Germany
The Historische Holzbrücke Wünschendorf is a covered wooden bridge over the Weiße Elster, 71 metres long and 4.30 metres wide. Apart from its masonry foundations, the whole structure is timber, clad in shingles and resting on 40 to 50 cm thick beams felled in the Weida state forest. Its design resembles the Hohenfichte wooden bridge of 1832.
The structure was built in 1786 after an earlier bridge was destroyed by flooding. River crossings have existed at this location since the 13th century.
In 2007, MDR viewers voted the bridge the most beautiful in central Germany, ahead of the Göltzschtalbrücke and the Krämerbrücke in Erfurt. The bridge is a protected monument, and its shingled wooden construction is still maintained by local craftsmen.
The bridge is designed for single vehicles with speed and weight limits, allowing only one direction at a time. Visitors should expect single-lane passage and tight conditions that require careful driving.
In 2007, MDR viewers voted the bridge the most beautiful in central Germany, ahead of the Göltzschtalbrücke and the Krämerbrücke in Erfurt. The 2013–2014 rebuild gave it a steel and concrete substructure, and the weight limit rose to 7.5 tonnes, though the 2.10 m height limit still bars taller vehicles.
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