Postcard Friday pays tribute to all the men and fathers out there this week. Yesterday was Father’s Day here in Germany, but the informal term for that day is Männertag. And in tradition, men hang out with friends, enjoying a good beer, but also performing stunts and causing trouble. 😉 This postcard of a bridge spanning an arm of the River Rhine near Rhinefall, Switzerland represents a place of gathering, but also a place where one could (but should not) perform a dare of any sorts. If you can identify the dare one should not do, then you wiser than you think. If you can spread the word to others on not doing that, then you are kinder and a more loving person than you think.
The bridge itself appears to be a Howe truss bridge with riveted connections, whose build date goes back to the early 1900s. The structure is more likely gone due to age, but it did provide a splendid view of the river and the mountains nearby.
For more on why Father’s Day is always celebrated on Thursdays in Germany and not on Sundays like in the States, click on the window below:
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And now the answer to last week’s question as to where this bridge is located:
The answer to the question is:
NONE OF THE CITIES: The bridge is located in Wilhelmshaven in Lower Saxony!
The bridge in the postcard is the Kaiser Wilhelm Bridge, spanning the harbor in WIlhelmshaven. It was designed by Anton Rieppel and built by the German construction firm MAN in Gustavsburg (near Mainz) in 1905-07. It was one of the first swing bridges in the country where both spans swung open to allow ships to pass. The double-span swing bridge was employed in many parts of northern Germany spanning canals and harbors between 1880 and 1960, including one built by Friedrich Voss in 1913, the same time as when he built the famous Rendsburg High Bridge for rail and traffic. The Kaiser Wilhelm Bridge is the last structure of its kind in service today and has been recognized as a technical monument.
Information here: https://www.wilhelmshaven.de/Tourismus/Sehenswuerdigkeiten/13376-Kaiser-Wilhelm-Br%C3%BCcke-.html
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And while we’re on the same page regarding the Rendsburg High Bridge, a fire broke out at the bridge on Monday shutting down rail traffic. Details in the article here:
We are pleased to announce that the damage was minimal and repairs were undertaken right away before reopening the bridge a day later. Information via link below:
Link:
The bridge and rail line are both now open. A sigh of relief for commuters, bridge lovers and locals alike. 🙂
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