In Saxony you will find the largest brick bridge in the world

Since the spectacular collapse of Dresden's Carola Bridge, the reputation of Saxon bridges has been bleak. But one massive structure (hopefully) won't be shaken so quickly: the Göltzschtal Bridge in the Vogtland region. The railway bridge is considered the largest brick bridge in the world and stretches over the Göltzsch Valley between Reichenbach and Netzschkau.

The mighty bridge was built in the 19th century, more precisely between 1846 and 1851. It has a total of 98 arches spread over four levels, and the bridge is 78 meters high and 574 meters long. Regional trains still run on the bridge today, and it remains a functioning part of the railway network.

For its time, the construction of this bridge was considered a technical masterpiece. Johann Andreas Schubert undertook the structural calculations and developed a design for today's record-holder. Approximately 50,000 bricks were used daily during construction, and approximately 1,700 workers were involved until its completion. Sadly, 31 of them lost their lives during construction. A total of an incredible 26 million bricks are said to have been used.

During the construction of the Göltzschtal Bridge, 31 workers lost their lives.

Source: imago images/Eberhard Thonfeld

In 2009, the Göltzsch Valley Bridge was added to the list of historic landmarks of civil engineering in Germany by the Federal Chamber of Engineers. Today, the open space in front of the bridge is often used for open-air events, and there are also signposted hiking and cycling trails along the bridge. However, entering the bridge is strictly prohibited.

If you want to see the Göltzsch Valley Bridge up close, you can combine it with a city trip to Zwickau, Chemnitz, or Dresden. From Dresden, you can reach the bridge in one and a half hours by car, or just under two and a half hours by train. Popular Czech resorts such as Karlovy Vary and Mariánské Lázně are also nearby.

The bridge is still used for railway traffic today.

Source: imago images/imagebroker

The Northern Vogtland Tourist Association offers regular public tours between Easter and October, always on the last Sunday of the month at 1 p.m. The meeting point is Parking Lot 1.

In 2020, the city of Reichenbach even sought to have the bridge recognized as a World Heritage Site. However, this request was rejected in 2023, as reported by "MDR." The reasons for this were too many renovations that had taken place on the bridge, especially at the bridgehead.

In recent times, the bridge has also made sad headlines and become known as the "Bridge of Death." Especially in the early 2000s, there were repeated reports of people in crisis situations using the structure, with its imposing height, as a last resort. After the number of incidents increased, fences and warning signs were installed, but the historical and architectural significance prevented more stringent measures. Police also regularly patrolled the Göltzschtal Bridge.

It's important to seek help in times of mental health crisis. In Germany, there's a telephone counseling service, which can be reached free of charge and anonymously at 0800 111 0 111 or 0800 111 0 222.

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