Roman Bridge (Gerbrunn)
The Römerbrücke near Gerbrunn is a single-span quarry stone arch bridge that spans the Haslach brook . The structure stands a few kilometers east of Würzburg in the northeast of the Gerbrunn municipality and has a clear width of around 19 meters, while the width is around 4 to 5 meters.
The bridge was built to defuse the steep Roßsteige, but after it was built in 1769 it was only used for a short time and three years later it was closed due to significant subsidence. Over the years it deteriorated, which could be a reason for the name. In the meantime, the structure including the 220 m long Chaussée dam has been included in the list of monuments and has been renovated.
location
The bridge is located about 1.2 km northeast of the center of Gerbrunn. It lies parallel to a second bridge that is part of the "old country road". In the past the Wöllrieder See was located there, which is why the area was quite swampy for a long time, but today this is only noticeable to a limited extent.
history
Adam Friedrich von Seinsheim , Prince-Bishop of Würzburg, tried to promote trade and industry in his diocese in the middle of the 18th century . To this end, numerous roads were expanded or newly laid out. One of the most important trade routes was the old trade route that ran from Vienna via Nuremberg and Würzburg to Frankfurt am Main . It led north past Gerbrunn, ran through the swampy Haslach valley and then ran steeply over the Roßsteige in the direction of Biebelried . The last, extremely rising part was difficult to cope with, especially for traders with carts, which is why the prince-bishop ordered a remedy.
Across the Haslachtal a quarry stone fortified and up to eight meters high Chaussee embankment was raised, on which the new road was then built as a west-east connection. The Haslach was then built over by two bridges, the larger of which is today's Roman Bridge. Construction was completed in 1769.
However, just three years later the bridge had to be closed again as there were clear cracks. They were created by the sinking of the foundations in the swamp. So the trade route was relocated and now led in the valley to Rottendorf-Biebelried. Last but not least, the construction of the Würzburg – Bamberg railway line in 1854 made it unnecessary to renovate the bridge for transportation purposes. The time of the stagecoach was over and the streets - which means every type of bridge - only became a decisive factor again when motorization began. The unused bridge fell into disrepair in the decades that followed and was ultimately impassable even for pedestrians.
It was not until the 20th century that the bridge was made safe for passers-by to cross again. Today it is considered to be Gerbrunn's largest landmark.
Rehabilitation and repulsion attempts
The Roman Bridge was always an unloved child of the community, which was to be torn down or repelled several times.
“The municipal administration of Gerbrunn only recognizes the ownership of the two bridges on Pl. No. 1479 if proof can be obtained by means of an official document, since when and in what way the bridges, which were previously safely built by the state and Were state property, came into the possession of the municipality of Gerbrunn. The contract in the property tax cadastre as well as the files from the years 1859 and 1862 designated in the Royal Road and River Construction Office are not recognized as evidence of this. Since taking over the bridges would only be a burden for the already poor municipality of Gerbrunn, the municipal administration is obliged to proceed extremely carefully in this matter. The municipal administration can therefore neither repair nor block the bridge. "
The poor state of construction caused the supervisory authority to block the paths under and over the bridge; on October 5, 1960, pedestrians were also prohibited from entering. Demolition was forbidden to include the buildings in the list of monuments, so that the municipality had to fulfill its duty and in 1978 was given the task of renovating it. Today plants grow on the bridge.
Naming theories
Where the name of the Roman bridge comes from can no longer be proven with certainty, but two theories exist. The first of these says that the name comes from the earlier ruinous state. According to the second thesis, however, the path to the “Römer” in Frankfurt is the name giver.
swell
- Georg Palitza: Gerbrunn. Chronicle Heimatbuch. Gerbrunn: Community self-publishing, 1991
Individual evidence
- ↑ Gerbrunner Chronik, p. 244
Web links
- Brief description of the Römerbrücke (file number D-6-79-136-14) in the list of monuments for Gerbrunn (PDF) at the Bavarian State Office for Monument Preservation
Coordinates: 49 ° 47 ′ 14 " N , 9 ° 59 ′ 48" E