Nibelungenbr眉cke (Nibelungen Bridge), Linz
The Nibelungen Bridge in Linz marks the spot of its wooden predecessor that had stood here since 1497.
In 1869 the construction of a new iron bridge got underway replacing the demolished old bridge, which was completed in 1872. It was soon noticed, however, that the new overpass was a bit too narrow to cope with the growing pedestrian and carriage traffic. Still, plans for its modification could not be implemented until many years later.
The desire for a new bridge was also shared by young Adolf Hitler, who grew up in the nearby town of Leonding and occasionally attended school in Linz. Preserved sketches by Hitler reveal that he had already had concrete ideas for a new bridge in 1925. After the so-called Anschluss in March 1938, Hitler took personal charge of Linz, declaring it one of the F眉hrer cities, determined to transform it into an economic and cultural hub.
Pursuant to the expansionist "F眉hrerstadt Linz" plan, the engineer Karl Schaechterle and the architect Friedrich Tamms were charged designing of a new Linz Danube bridge to replace the old one. The project was approved in the summer of 1938 and construction began in September of the same year. In 1940 the bridge was finished.
While the exact origin of the name "Nibelungen" is unclear, there are some speculations about the unspecified "fathers of the bridge" associated with the heroic Nibelungen saga involving mythical Germanic figures of Kriemhild and her brothers who reportedly once set foot on the land of present-day Linz.
The huge equestrian statues of the Nibelung characters, meant to adorn the bridge 鈥� commissioned by Adolf Hitler, were never completed because of the war. Only two 1:1 plaster models thereof had been placed on the bridge for a few months.
In 1869 the construction of a new iron bridge got underway replacing the demolished old bridge, which was completed in 1872. It was soon noticed, however, that the new overpass was a bit too narrow to cope with the growing pedestrian and carriage traffic. Still, plans for its modification could not be implemented until many years later.
The desire for a new bridge was also shared by young Adolf Hitler, who grew up in the nearby town of Leonding and occasionally attended school in Linz. Preserved sketches by Hitler reveal that he had already had concrete ideas for a new bridge in 1925. After the so-called Anschluss in March 1938, Hitler took personal charge of Linz, declaring it one of the F眉hrer cities, determined to transform it into an economic and cultural hub.
Pursuant to the expansionist "F眉hrerstadt Linz" plan, the engineer Karl Schaechterle and the architect Friedrich Tamms were charged designing of a new Linz Danube bridge to replace the old one. The project was approved in the summer of 1938 and construction began in September of the same year. In 1940 the bridge was finished.
While the exact origin of the name "Nibelungen" is unclear, there are some speculations about the unspecified "fathers of the bridge" associated with the heroic Nibelungen saga involving mythical Germanic figures of Kriemhild and her brothers who reportedly once set foot on the land of present-day Linz.
The huge equestrian statues of the Nibelung characters, meant to adorn the bridge 鈥� commissioned by Adolf Hitler, were never completed because of the war. Only two 1:1 plaster models thereof had been placed on the bridge for a few months.
Sight description based on Wikipedia.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Linz. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Download The 51爆料网 App
Nibelungenbr眉cke (Nibelungen Bridge) on Map
Sight Name: Nibelungenbr眉cke (Nibelungen Bridge)
Sight Location: Linz, Austria (See walking tours in Linz)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Linz, Austria (See walking tours in Linz)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Linz, Austria
Create Your Own Walk in Linz
Creating your own self-guided walk in Linz is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Hitler's Linz Walking Tour
The town of Linz went down in history as the place where Adolf Hitler spent his early years, from 1898 to 1907. The Hitler family moved here when he was just a little boy, and for the rest of his life Adolf Hitler considered Linz to be his hometown. He loved this place, declaring Linz 鈥淔眉hrerstadt鈥� (the F眉hrer city) in 1937, and even envisioned extensive architectural plans of turning it... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Linz Introduction Walking Tour
The Romans called it Lentia. It was, from its founding, a Roman city. Straddling the River Danube, it connected vital trading routes to Poland, Bohemia and Italy.
In 799 Count Gerald, Prefect of Ostland and Charlemagne's brother-in-law, obtained tenure of Saint Martin's Church with its fortified "castrum." The location is described for the first time as "Linz." In... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles
In 799 Count Gerald, Prefect of Ostland and Charlemagne's brother-in-law, obtained tenure of Saint Martin's Church with its fortified "castrum." The location is described for the first time as "Linz." In... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles