High Bridges Holtenau, Road bridges in Kiel, Germany
The Holtenauer Hochbrücken are two parallel concrete road bridges over the Kiel Canal, linking the Kiel districts of Wik and Holtenau. The western Prinz-Heinrich-Brücke (1911/1995) is the second bridge of that name on the site; the eastern Olympiabrücke dates from 1972. Each deck carries two lanes of the Bundesstraße 503 plus a sidewalk for pedestrians and cyclists, with 42 m clearance for ships.
The first Prinz-Heinrich-Brücke, a steel truss bridge designed by Friedrich Voss, opened on 28 September 1912 after construction from 1909 to 1911, replacing a pontoon swing bridge that had served since 1894. It was demolished in 1992 after wear and a 1988 ship collision. The Olympiabrücke was built east of it from 1969 to 1972 and opened on 11 July 1972 for the Kiel Olympic sailing events.
The eastern bridge takes its name from the 1972 Olympic Games, as it was built specifically for the sailing competitions held in Kiel. This naming still reflects an important international event that shaped the city.
Each bridge carries two lanes of the Bundesstraße 503 plus a sidewalk for pedestrians and cyclists. On the eastern south ramp of the lane toward Holtenau there is a parking lot for tourists and shipspotters, with step-free access from the lot onto the Olympiabrücke footpath. From that footpath the northeastern end of the canal and the Kiel locks are in view.
The Olympiabrücke was built in 1969–1972 to relieve the first Prinz-Heinrich-Brücke when the 1972 Olympic sailing events at Schilksee were expected to increase traffic. It opened on 11 July 1972. From its footpath, reachable barrier-free from the car park on the eastern south ramp, visitors see the canal's northeastern end and the Kiel locks.
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