Nonnendammbrücke

What’s in a name? Plenty, if you’re standing at the Nonnendammbrücke. This unassuming bridge carries more than just cars across the Spree’s northern lock canal. It carries the echo of centuries of history. The Nonnendammbrücke, completed in 2003, links Charlottenburg-Nord to a Spree island. This island was newly formed during the construction of a new lock chamber for the Charlottenburg Lock. Without the Nonnendammbrücke, the eastern part of Nonnendamm, with its artist studios and gardens, would be inaccessible by car. The Nonnendammbrücke is a vital artery for this small community. The name “Nonnendamm,” and therefore the bridge’s name, harkens back to a medieval trade route between Berlin and Spandau. In 1239, the Benedictine nunnery in Spandau owned vast forests on both sides of this route. The route, originally a corduroy road, was known as “Nonnendamm” (Nuns’ Causeway) as early as the 13th century. Imagine nuns traversing this path, their habits rustling against the foliage, on errands between their serene sanctuary and the bustling city. After the Reformation in the 16th century, Berlin expanded, absorbing the nunnery’s lands. The Nonnendamm was rebuilt on a raised embankment. With the construction of the Nonnendammbrücke, this historic name continues to grace Berlin’s map. The Nonnendammbrücke itself is a simple, concrete beam bridge. Its construction was part of a larger project to deepen and enlarge the Charlottenburg Lock. Just a few hundred meters downstream, you might notice the remnants of an old S-Bahn railway bridge. This bridge once spanned the Spree, but part of it was demolished during river straightening. The remaining section stands as a silent witness to Berlin’s ever-changing landscape, a stark contrast to the relatively new Nonnendammbrücke. So, next time you cross the Nonnendammbrücke, remember the nuns who walked this path centuries ago. Their legacy, though quiet, is woven into the very fabric of this bridge and the city it serves.