Cologne Rodenkirchen Bridge facts for kids
The Cologne Rodenkirchen Bridge is a large steel suspension bridge in Cologne, Germany. It crosses the Rhine river. This bridge was finished in 1954. Its main part stretches 378 meters across the water. The bridge gets its name from Rodenkirchen, a part of Cologne.
Contents
Building the Bridge: Past and Present
Original Construction (1938-1941)
The first Rodenkirchen Bridge was built between 1938 and 1941. It was designed by Paul Bonatz, with Fritz Leonhardt handling the detailed plans. This bridge was made for a major highway, called an Autobahn, connecting Cologne and Aachen. Today, this highway is known as Bundesautobahn 4. It forms the southern part of the Cologne Beltway, which is like a ring road around the city.
Destruction and Rebuilding (1945-1954)
Sadly, the bridge was destroyed on January 14, 1945, during an airstrike. After the war, work began to rebuild it. The new bridge was constructed from 1952 to 1954. They were able to reuse the strong old pylons, which are the tall towers that hold the bridge cables. The new bridge was much lighter than the old one. The first bridge used 6,100 tons of steel, but the new one only needed 3,350 tons.
Expanding for More Traffic (1990-1995)
Over time, more and more cars used the bridge. To handle all the extra traffic, the bridge was expanded starting in 1990. A new, equal bridge was built right next to the 1954 bridge. They even shared the middle cable! This expansion was completed in 1995, making the bridge much wider and able to carry more vehicles.
See also
- List of bridges in Germany