Imagine Heinrich the Lion standing where you stand now. This is the story of the Herzog-Heinrich-Brücke. It is named after him. He was the founder of Munich.
The Herzog-Heinrich-Brücke is a road bridge. It is located in the north of the Englischer Garten in Munich. The bridge carries the Föhringer Ring. It crosses the Isar River and the Mittlere-Isar-Kanal.
Construction of this steel beam bridge began in 1958. It was completed in 1960. The Herzog-Heinrich-Brücke was opened to traffic in 1962.
The two-lane bridge was built as part of the Föhringer Ring project. This ring connects the eastern districts of Munich. It links them to the Frankfurter Ring and the A9 motorway. Originally, it was planned as part of the Outer Ring.
Just a few meters north are the Leinthalerbrücke and the Föhringer Eisenbahnbrücke. These also cross the Isar and the canal. The Heizkraftwerk Nord power plant is located to the east.
Heinrich the Lion played a key role in Munich’s history. He ordered the burning of a bridge near Oberföhring. This bridge belonged to the Hochstift Freising. His goal was to divert traffic to a new bridge he built near Munich. This secured tolls for himself.
There was an original plan concerning the naming of the bridge. The current John-F.-Kennedy-Brücke was intended to be named Herzog-Heinrich-Brücke. But after Kennedy’s assassination in 1963, the name was reassigned. This decision was made under the impact of the tragic event.
There are plans to replace the Herzog-Heinrich-Brücke. This is due to the expansion of the Föhringer Ring to four lanes. A new structure is planned for the future.
From 1958 to 1960, a high bridge was constructed. It was meant to create a new connection for the Nuremberg Autobahn. This connected with the Frankfurter Ring. Since the mid-1960s, this created a link via the Föhringer Ring. It also connected to a new bridge and the Effnerstraße. Finally, it linked via the Mittlerer Ring to the Salzburg Autobahn.
The Herzog-Heinrich-Brücke was designed by the Bavarian road administration. It was built in 1959 and 1960. It was opened to traffic in 1962 and 1963.
In November 2007, demolition began on the 600-meter-long Autobahnhochbrücke Freimann. The bridge had deteriorated over time. The cost was estimated at 37 million. The demolition of the existing bridge alone cost seven million euros.
The deconstruction of the bridge was a logistical feat. To carry out the work with traffic flowing, the structure had to be extensively supported. Engineers divided the roadway along nearly 600 meters. This created two separate sections. Only then could workers remove the bridge in halves. The demolition of the east side took twelve months. The bridge was fully reopened to traffic in mid-2010.
So, the Herzog-Heinrich-Brücke is more than just a bridge. It is a testament to Munich’s history and development. It connects the city and carries the legacy of its founder.