Oberbaumbrücke

One of the most recognizable symbols of Berlin is certainly the Oberbaumbrücke Bridge, which connects the banks of two districts - Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain, famous for its vibrant and vibrant nightlife.

History and features of architecture

The ancestor of the modern structure is a wooden bridge built in 1732, which acquired a stone foundation only in the 19th century, thanks to the German architect O. Shtan. In the early 90s, the design engineer S. Calatrava took up a large-scale reconstruction of the bridge. 2 million marks were spent on this project.

The architecture of the bridge reflects the Neo-Gothic style and includes many pointed arches, cross vaults and coats of arms. In this case, red brick was used in the construction, which has a yellow and black finish. Two 34-meter towers with metal spiers with images of an eagle and a bear, the national symbols of the country, deserve special attention. The lower part of both towers has a polygonal shape, the upper level is cone-shaped. They differ from each other only in that one has a clearly defined diagonal cone masonry, and the other is diametric, which looks very impressive from the side.

The Oberbaumbrücke bridge itself has two tiers. On the top floor there are metro lines launched at the beginning of the 20th century, while the lower floor is intended for the movement of cars, cyclists and pedestrians. The length of the seven spans of the structure reaches 150 m, the width is 27.9 m, and the height is about a meter.

Walking along the Oberbaumbrücke bridge, in addition to a picturesque view of the smooth surface of the Spree River and the cluster of industrial and office buildings of the German capital, its other sights open up. These are the ruins of the Berlin Wall, the television tower, more than 300 meters high, which is the tallest building in Germany. The 30-meter sculptural composition Molecular Man by Jonathan Borofsky, placed right in the river, is also impressive.

In addition, various concerts, marathons and water sports competitions, as well as numerous festivals, are held here every year. Among them, the light show and comic vegetable competitions, which have been organized for many years by the inhabitants of Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain, stand out in particular. Participants in the battle throw rotten vegetables, flour, eggs and other similar "ammunition" at each other in order to capture the enemy area. At the same time, observers need to be extremely careful not to waste time and money on dry cleaning services.

Oberbaumbrücke has repeatedly become a filming location, including films about Jason Bourne.