Destruction of the Old Bridge!! and other Ochsenfurt, Germany Warning Or Danger Tips

Beware it is currently (2008) impossible to take a similar photograph to the one on my Ochsenfurt Page. The photo was taken from the middle of the historic Alte brucke (Old Bridge) over the River Main. In April 2007 the central span of the Old Bridge was demolished, allegedly because it was not strong or wide enough to take traffic!! The bridge dates from before 1500, though the long central span was a more recent 20th century reconstruction to allow boats to pass freely.

The central part of the bridge was a casualty of World War II. Apparently the townswomen of Ochsenfurt occupied the Old Bridge in 1945 to stop the German army from blowing up the medieval arches, but they were unsuccessful. I guess if they can lovingly rebuild the bridge once, then they can do it again. Let's hope so!

There is a modern road bridge 100m to the south of the Old Bridge. And a ferry service has been reintroduced just north of the Old Bridge, primarily (I believe) to get children to school.

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