Across the western Spree arm stands the Schleusenbrücke a bridge connecting Werderscher Markt to Schlossplatz. Notice the railings. Each side boasts thirteen panels. They’re adorned with wave motifs. Eight round medallions show historical Berlin views. Small plaques with gilded dates mark the year of each depiction. The transition to the rectangular panels is filled with stylized palmettes and acanthus leaves. The intermediate panels feature horizontal bands. The waterside backs of the medallions display large stylized flowers.
The Schleusenbrücke isn’t just a pretty face. It has a rich history. Its name means Sluice Bridge. This is because a lock once stood here. The original wooden bridge was built in 1443. A later one was needed due to renovations in the 1650s. It was 24 meters wide allowing ships to pass through five pairs of sluice gates. By 1694 this wooden structure was replaced with a massive construction. The bridge we see today. A steel and plate structure was built between 1914 and 1916 by architects Fritz Kritzler and Max Tischer. Its pillars and abutments are clad in grey granite. Initially it was only 7 meters long and 17 meters wide. Artists Robert Schirmer and Otto Markert created the Art Nouveau-style railing. They included two bronze reliefs at each end depicting views of the city from 1657 and 1774.
The Schleusenbrücke wasn’t done there. The expansion of the Spree Canal and the removal of the sluice gates necessitated more work. The bridge was extended. Sculptor Kurt Schumacher added two more medallions. They depict city views from 1650 and 1688. The four copper plaques show the years 1657 1694 1863 and 1897. These mark construction work on the lock and the year of erection of the equestrian statue of William I near the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Nationaldenkmal.
World War II heavily damaged the Schleusenbrücke. Its coating and railings were destroyed in May 1945. Repairs didn’t happen until 1951. The medallions were missing for twenty years. The cast iron railings were reconstructed between 1972 and 1973. The city administration commissioned replicas of the city views in bronzed aluminum. A major renovation took place from 1998 to 2000. So today you are looking at a bridge with layers of history. A bridge that has adapted to the changing needs of Berlin.