Old Nahe Bridge in the German spa town of Bad Kreuznach is one of the most picturesque examples of the many inhabited bridges built in Europe between the 12th and 16th centuries
Inhabited bridges are unique and fascinating structures, successful crossovers of engineering and architecture. They were built in several European countries, mostly between the 12th and 16th centuries, as a way of increasing the provision of residential and commercial units in walled cities, which had no capacity to expand.
Italy arguably claims the two most famous inhabited bridges – the Ponte Vecchio in Florence and the Rialto Bridge in Venice – but the highest number were probably built in France. In Britain, the Pulteney Bridge in Bath is a fine example, while the original London Bridge was crowded with houses and shops.
Among Germany’s inhabited bridges, the Old Nahe Bridge in the spa town of Bad Kreuznach is one of the most picturesque. The stone bridge itself was built in around 1300 to connect the two settlements on either side of the river Nahe, while the houses were added in the 15th century. Part of the bridge was destroyed by German troops in 1945 and then rebuilt in concrete but, fortunately, the arm featured in this photograph of 1880 survived.