Ensuring smooth traffic flow has been its constant task. The Nibelungen Bridge stands before you. It is a vital artery for Regensburg. It carries an average of 42000 vehicles each day.
The Nibelungen Bridge has a layered past. The current structure is the third one on this site. The first bridge was built in 1938. It bore a different name back then. It was named the Adolf Hitler Bridge.
The Bavarian Minister Adolf Wagner dedicated it. He did so “to the glory of the state, the glory of the Bavarian Ostmark and the glory of National Socialist Germany”. This bridge however had a short life. In 1945 it was blown up during World War II. This was to slow the Allied advance.
A replacement appeared in 1950. This bridge was named the Nibelungen Bridge. By 1997, the Stone Bridge closed to private traffic. The Nibelungen Bridge then had to handle almost 50000 vehicles daily. The steel structure suffered increasing damage. Heavy freight had to avoid the bridge. Repairs were not worthwhile. Planners decided a new bridge was needed.
Construction of the current Nibelungen Bridge started in 2001. The Lord Mayor Hans Schaidinger laid the foundation stone. The old bridge had to be moved first. It was shifted eight meters laterally. Traffic could still use it during this phase. In August 2001, the eastbound lanes closed for four weeks. Workers extended the bridge pillars by ten meters. They installed rails for shifting the old bridge. Moving began on August 8. By August 30, the entire bridge reopened.
The western spans were completed in November 2002. Traffic was then redirected onto the new half. The old bridge was then mostly demolished. Construction of the eastern spans finished in April 2004. Final tasks included permanent roadway markings. Pedestrian and bicycle paths were added on the west side. By mid-June 2004, all construction was complete.
This Nibelungen Bridge has six lanes. Two lanes are reserved for buses and taxis. It forms part of highways B8 and B15. It is one of three Danube bridges without load restrictions. The bridge is important for tram service plans too.
The bridge consists of two sections. These sections cross the two arms of the Danube. They sit on either side of the Lower Wöhrd island. The southern bridge spans 168.9 meters. It also crosses a port railway line. The northern bridge is 206.9 meters long.
The bridge’s history includes some oddities. The 1950 bridge had a fish market. It apparently did not last long. From 1964 to 2001, an ice stadium stood next to the bridge. It was torn down during the new bridge construction. A parking garage sits behind the south end of the current bridge.
For the 1938 Adolf Hitler Bridge, a sculptor was commissioned to carve a group of maidens and a monumental Nazi eagle. The eagle was installed in 1940. It weighed twelve tonnes. After the war, the eagle remained on the bridge. The swastika was removed from its claws. It was often defaced. In 2001, the eagle was moved into storage. The city has struggled to find an appropriate use for it.
The Nibelungen Bridge stands as a testament to Regensburg’s resilience. It highlights the city’s ability to adapt to changing needs.