How many stories could this bridge tell if it could talk? The Freudenauer Hafenbrücke stands before us. It connects Vienna’s 2nd and 11th districts. This bridge is more than just concrete and steel. It is a vital artery linking Leopoldstadt and Simmering.
Let’s dive into the Freudenauer Hafenbrücke’s story. It spans 352 meters. It crosses the entrance to the Freudenauer Hafen. This harbor is also known as the Winter Harbor. The bridge also crosses the Donaukanal. This is about 1.4 kilometers before it flows into the Donau.
Before 1927, no road bridge stood here. In 1926, the Friedensbrücke opened. Its predecessor, the Brigittabrücke, was dismantled. It was supposedly rebuilt at this location in 1927. However, this has not been verified.
Fast forward to the mid-1950s. Vienna sought a new bridge design. The city chose Mayreder, Kraus & Co. Hermann Kutschera was the artistic advisor. The bridge was built using prestressed concrete. It used the Dywidag system. The central structure is 89 meters long. It was the first time the free cantilever method was used in Austria. Each cantilever section was three meters long.
In October 1957, Mayor Franz Jonas visited the construction site. A load test occurred in October 1958. Twenty-eight trucks loaded with gravel tested its strength. These trucks weighed 320,000 kilograms. The Freudenauer Hafenbrücke opened in December 1958. It shortened the journey between the Freudenauer and Alberner harbors. It saved drivers a 15-kilometer detour.
Before the A4 Ostautobahn was completed in 1982, this bridge was a shortcut. People avoided the congested routes through Rennweg and Simmeringer Hauptstraße. They chose the Handelskai and the Hafenbrücke. Then they took Albern and Mannswörth to Pressburger Straße.
Today, bus lines 79A and 79B use the bridge. They connect the Donaumarina U-Bahn station to Kaiserebersdorf.
The Freudenauer Hafenbrücke crosses more than just water. It also spans the Simmeringer Lände. It goes over the Alberner Hafenzufahrtsstraße. And it crosses the ÖBB connecting tracks. The southern end of the bridge connects to Zinnergasse in Kaiserebersdorf.
Fun fact. Until the Winterhafenbrücke was rebuilt, this was the last bridge over the Donaukanal to the southeast. The Freudenauer Hafenbrücke is not to be confused with the Winterhafenbrücke. The Winterhafenbrücke was rebuilt in 2008 for railway freight transport.
So, as we stand here, consider the Freudenauer Hafenbrücke. It is a testament to Vienna’s ingenuity and connection. It links districts. It eases commutes. It stands as a piece of history.