Römerbrücke

The Römerbrücke was a stone bridge with wooden superstructure that crossed the Rhine and connected two major Roman settlements on either bank. It rested on substantial pillars driven into the riverbed to create a stable passage across the water.

The bridge was built around 310 CE under Emperor Constantine I and connected Roman Cologne with the military fort of Divitia on the east bank. It served as a vital crossing for several centuries before later structures eventually replaced it.

The archaeological remains at the Romano-Germanic Museum display how Romans constructed such crossings and what materials they used. Visitors can see actual stones and artifacts that reveal the daily importance of this connection between the two riverbanks.

The bridge foundations are no longer visible today, but excavations and artifacts can be viewed at the Romano-Germanic Museum, which provides insight into the structure and its construction. The museum is the best place to learn about how this ancient crossing functioned and what it looked like.

What made this construction remarkable was the use of oak piles driven deep into the riverbed to support the enormous weight of the stone pillars above. This engineering approach solved the complex problem of anchoring a major crossing in a powerful river.