Brückentürme der Friedrich-Ebert-Brücke, Bridge towers at Friedrich-Ebert Bridge in Ruhrort, Germany
The bridge towers are two identical stone structures at the Ruhrort end of the crossing over the Rhine, each standing 32 meters tall and anchoring the eastern side. Multiple floors within each tower originally combined residential quarters, office spaces, and ground-level shops in a single functional complex.
These towers were constructed between 1904 and 1907 as toll collection points for the new crossing over the Rhine. They survived the destruction of the original bridge during World War II, making them the oldest remaining part of the structure.
These towers once housed bridge workers and their families, with street-level shops serving daily needs of those passing through. The structures reflect how functional buildings were also part of the residential landscape of this river port area.
The structures stand along the pedestrian-friendly banks of the Rhine and are easily accessed from the Ruhrort quarter nearby. A walk along the waterfront provides good viewing angles while connecting to local shops and refreshment options in the area.
Their two counterparts on the Homberg side were demolished during post-war reconstruction, making these towers the rare survivors of a much larger original structure. This selective preservation offers an unusual view of what once stood symmetrically on both river banks.
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