Seventy-nine meters. That’s roughly how high the Albertbrücke rises above the Elbe during high tide. Let’s delve into the story of this iconic bridge. The Albertbrücke stands as the easternmost of Dresden’s four inner-city Elbe bridges. It emerged in the 1870s. The bridge spans 316 meters. It proudly bears the name of King Albert of Saxony.
During the GDR era, it was known as Brücke der Einheit. This name commemorated the union of the KPD and SPD in 1946. The Albertbrücke links Sachsenplatz in the south with Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz in the north. From there, Glacisstrasse and Hoyerswerdaer Strasse lead into the Äußere Neustadt. The bridge forms part of the 26er Ring. This ring continues south via Sachsenallee and Güntzstrasse. Sachsenplatz also connects to Terrassenufer and Käthe-Kollwitz-Ufer.
Trams on lines 6 and 13 travel across the Albertbrücke. Before its renovation from 2014 to 2016, around 19400 vehicles crossed the bridge daily. Heavy goods vehicles accounted for two percent of this traffic. With 9000 cyclists daily, the Albertbrücke is Dresden’s most important Elbe crossing for cyclists.
The bridge structure features 14 stone arches. They are symmetrically arranged around the 7.5-meter-wide central pier. The four openings over the river each have a clear width of 31 meters. The minimum clearance is approximately 7.90 meters. This is at the highest navigable water level. Following the renovation completed in September 2016, the Albertbrücke measures 22.20 meters in width. The shore piers were built in open construction pits. Caissons were used for the river piers. A relief portrait of King Albert of Saxony graces the upstream side of the prominent central pier. The Dresden coat of arms adorns the downstream side. Both are crafted from Carrara marble.
Construction of the bridge began on June 14 1875. Karl Manck, the city’s chief construction engineer, planned and oversaw the work. The inauguration as König-Albert-Brücke took place on November 19 1877. On May 7 1945, three arches on each side of the bridge were blown up. The reconstruction used clad reinforced concrete arches. It was completed in July 1946.
In the early 21st century, the bridge’s safety became compromised due to deterioration. The railings were insufficiently anchored. Sandstone parts threatened to break off. Measures were implemented to ensure usability and safety until a thorough renovation could occur. The speed limit was reduced to 30 km/h. The outer halves of the sidewalks and cycle paths were closed. Construction barriers secured them.
To maintain sufficient width for pedestrians and cyclists, a temporary bridge was built. This shifted the pedestrian and cycle path. For a time, only one lane per direction was available. Cars and trams shared it. This caused significant traffic jams. It also caused delays for trams, especially during rush hour. In October 2013, protective roofs were installed for 70000 euros. They shielded the cycle paths beneath the bridge from falling stones.
In autumn 2011, a temporary bridge was erected. It was on the city side of the Albertbrücke. This allowed the original sidewalks to be restored. The bridge regained its original capacity for car and tram traffic by the end of November. Informally, the temporary bridge was called “Kleine Albertbrücke”. Cyclists occasionally fell due to the wooden planking becoming slippery. On September 8 2015, the temporary bridge closed. This happened after the completed half of the new Albertbrücke opened. It was dismantled by the end of 2015.
The city council decided to renovate the bridge in May 2010. The renovation began in late May 2014. The entire bridge was closed to car traffic. Trams ran single-track on a temporary track. The works were scheduled to last about two years. The estimated cost was 21 million euros. On August 24 2015, the first half of the Albertbrücke opened to trams. Cyclists and pedestrians could use it from September 8 2015. The Albertbrücke fully reopened to car traffic and trams in both directions on September 5 2016. Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz and Sachsenplatz also became fully accessible again.
At the foot of the bridge on the Neustadt side of the Elbe, there are two sandstone reliefs. They can be seen from the Elbe. Looking from this direction, the left relief depicts historical river life. Herrmann Alfred Raddatz created it in 1936 and 1937. It measures 1.4 meters high and 12 meters wide. It shows men possibly unloading ships and a ferryman with his barge. Edmund Moeller created the other relief in 1938. It is 1.4 meters high and 10 meters long. It shows men pulling ships. A memorial to Rosa Luxemburg stands at the Neustadt end of the bridge. Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, which the Albertbrücke leads to, is named after her.