More than 20 years after its reconstruction, the Friedensbrücke bridge over the River Spree in Bautzen in eastern Saxony urgently needs to be repaired due to weather damage. The cracks of various types and sizes were discovered in recent years, according to a city spokesperson. The renovation of the bridge is planned, but a decision and specific funding have not yet been made. It should possibly take place at the end of 2025, "realistically not until 2026".
A full closure for the duration of the construction work is not planned, "only temporarily for a week or 14 days". According to the information provided, the budget is "in the mid seven-figure range" - between three and six million euros.
Alongside the famous Reichenturm and the Lauenturm, the Friedensbrücke is one of the city's landmarks in Lusatia and is also one of its most important transport routes. It was built in 1949 to replace the 1909 Kronzprinzenbrücke bridge, which was destroyed in the Second World War. The viaduct, which was built from granite blocks based on a historical model, is 181 meters long and spans the narrow-walled river valley at a height of 24 meters. In the 1990s, it underwent a general overhaul and was modernized in line with its listed status.
Copyright 2024, dpa (www.dpa.de). All rights reserved
