Nydeggbrücke

The Nydeggbrücke [ nidɛk ] connecting the area of Nydeggkirche in the old town of Bern with the opposite bank of the Aare at the bear pit.

Location and Creation

With the increasing movement of goods and passenger traffic at the beginning of the 19th century a high bridge to be built in Bern, which would eliminate or reduce the steep gradients to and from the city by the Aaregraben. In order for a suitable location arose a violent quarrel, which was finally in favor of the lower old town, at the Nydegg decided.

Once the project proposal private initiators was discarded, the civic community Bern commissioned in 1836, four foreign experts bridge ( Doneganu, Jaquiné, Mosca and Negrelli ) with expertise and left based on the architect Joseph Ferry schedules work out. These were modified by the meanwhile formed bridge company several times and revised in 1840 by the project of Rudolf Wurstemberger again. The project experienced even during the construction project after several changes and improvements again substantial adjustments.

The bridge was built between September 1840 and November 1844 in four years of construction by the Contractor Uri Charles Emmanuel Müller ( the builder of the second Devil's Bridge over the Schöllenenschlucht Gotthard ). After the beginning of flooding of the River Aare almost insurmountable difficulties were mastered, the construction work progressed rapidly, and on September 15, 1843, keystone of the large arch was used under cannon fire. On November 23, 1844, the opening ceremony took place.

The bridge was controversial from the start, mainly because she picked up the slopes only partially and both on the city side as well as on the land side significant differences in height were still to be overcome. Slopes presented in the then horse-drawn carts a much greater disability is as for today's motorized traffic.

Prepared in accordance with cantonal and federal concession raised bridge tolls have always remained far below expectations and prepared, along with the cost overruns, the bridge company big financial problems. They could finally be solved only with the abolition of bridge tolls on March 1, 1853, and the severance of shareholders with 70% of their deposit.

The Nydeggbrücke is a total of about 200 meters long, with the center piece between planned as customs houses pavilions measures 124.3 meters. The span of the main arch above the Aare measures almost 46 meters, making it one of the largest spans of natural stone bridges at all, that of the two side bow 16.5 m. The bridge width at the entrances of 25.2 m, 15.6 m above the side arch and above the Aare 12.2 m.