Crosses Rhine Official name Nordbrücke Maintained by Deutsche Bahn Clearance below 9 m Location Mainz Carry Rail transport | Locale Mainz (Germany) Other name(s) Kaiserbrücke Opened 1955 Bridge type Truss bridge Body of water Rhine | |
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Carries Railway (Mainbahn), pedestrians Similar Rhine, Südbrücke - Mainz, Port of Mainz, Schierstein Bridge, Hindenburg Bridge | ||
The Kaiserbrücke (literally: Emperor Bridge) is a railway bridge on the Mainz rail bypass across the Rhine at the north end of Mainz in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Built between 1901 and 1904, it was named for the German Emperor Wilhelm II (the 'Kaiser' of the time). It formed an important part of the German railway system, as well as being an important logistical link for war transports (which were closely tied to railway infrastructure).
The bridge was destroyed in 1945 by retreating German troops. To forestall a second Remagen, the Germans by 19 March had blown all Rhine bridges from Ludwigshafen northward.
It was later reopened in 1955 as the Nordbrücke ('Northern Bridge'), with parts of the surviving foundations and sculptures adorning it incorporated into the new much less grand structure. The neo-roman gate castles were not rebuilt. The former arched trusses were also replaced with box trusses.
