Roman Bridge (Trier)
The Roman Bridge (also called the old Moselle Bridge ), which crosses the River Moselle in Trier (Augusta Treverorum ), is the oldest bridge in Germany.
Since 1986, the Roman bridge part of the UNESCO World Heritage Roman Monuments, Cathedral and Church of Our Lady in Trier.
History
A first Roman bridge over the Moselle wooden existed from 17 BC It was a Pfahljochbrücke; the piles could be dated using dendrochronological investigations in 1963.
The first stone bridge was built in 45 AD a little bit downstream from the present site of the Roman bridge, have shown dendrochronological investigations. Parts of the pillars you can supposedly still visible today at low tide.
The cornerstone of the present stone bridge was built in 144-152 AD. The new Roman Bridge is the third bridge at this location since the city's founding. With the help of waterproof sheet piling, the piers were founded with basalt and bluestone blocks on the river bottom. The building material originated among others from the mining area around the former volcanic High Beech. The bridge upstream tapered pillars to withstand high water and ice better. On the massive pillars in Roman times was a wooden bridge structure, called a truss, was built. This could hold up well in the market by a ten meter wide road. Since the roadway at normal level was about 14 m above the Moselle, the masts of the ships no longer had to be folded when they sailed downstream. Upstream, they had to be towed because of the strong current.
The torn medieval bridge gate, the Porta Inclyta ( Famous Gate) until today is puzzling. The scientists argue currently investigating whether the Porta Nigra similar gate on the left or the right side of the Moselle was.
The stone vault has only emerged in the Middle Ages 1190-1490, possibly by Elector Baldwin ( 1307-1354 ). All nine piers are still very good yet; However, the earlier assumption that two of these nine were 1717/18 renewed, is not applicable. The first two on the city side are already hidden for a tag in Roman time in Uferaufschüttung.
1689, the bridge was blown up by French troops, 1716-18 renewed the Elector Johann Georg -trial step Hofzimmermann Judas the curvature. On this occasion, was built on the fifth pillar of the West, a crucifix and a statue of St. Nicholas. 1806 broke one from the western Brückentor, 1869 followed the eastern. 1931, the bridge was widened and received today, cantilevered pedestrian walkways.
On the morning of March 2, 1945, the Americans could arrive on the unspoiled Roman Bridge in Trier -West. The bridge was not blown up for unknown reasons by the Germans troops. According to an eyewitness many ruins were already on the bridge that the cable for the ignition of the explosive charges were likely to be damaged.
After the Second World War involved extensive archaeological investigations in the course of the Moselle canalization. 2012 wrote the city of Trier an architectural competition to redesign the bridge environment and the bridge itself out, with the aim to bring the monument to better advantage. For financial reasons, however, implementation of the proposals is currently hardly possible.