Swinemünder Brücke

Did the rivets whisper secrets as they were hammered into Swinemünder Brücke? This steel giant spans 228 meters across the railway tracks east of Gesundbrunnen station. Swinemünder Brücke, affectionately nicknamed “Millionenbrücke” (Million Bridge), has a story to tell. It connects Bellermannstraße and Swinemünder Straße, rising on two brick pillars that support 17-meter-high portal posts. Designed by architect Bruno Möhring and engineer Friedrich Krause, Swinemünder Brücke opened on November 11, 1905. Its construction cost a hefty one million marks, about eight million euros today. This price tag earned it the nickname “Millionenbrücke,” a name that would prove prophetic. During World War II, the central section of Swinemünder Brücke collapsed. In 1954, it was rebuilt. The new central span, however, was welded, not riveted like the original, and lacked the decorative elements of its predecessor. Further renovations took place between 1969 and 1972 and again from 1983 to 1984. Then, in 2005, another major renovation began. This project ran into difficulties, causing delays and pushing the cost up to…you guessed it, around one million euros. The “Millionenbrücke” lived up to its name once more. Swinemünder Brücke has also played a role in the world of cinema. Its resemblance to the Bornholmer Straße border crossing and the Glienicker Brücke has made it a popular filming location. Scenes from films like “Das Wunder von Berlin” and “Bornholmer Straße” were actually shot here, on Swinemünder Brücke. So, as you gaze at this impressive structure, remember the whispers of those rivets, the echoes of history, and the stories it has silently witnessed. Swinemünder Brücke, a bridge of millions, a bridge of memories.