The Roman Bridge () is an ancient structure in
Trier
Trier ( , ; ), formerly and traditionally known in English as Trèves ( , ) and Triers (see also Names of Trier in different languages, names in other languages), is a city on the banks of the Moselle (river), Moselle in Germany. It lies in a v ...
,
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
, over the
Moselle
The Moselle ( , ; ; ) is a river that rises in the Vosges mountains and flows through north-eastern France and Luxembourg to western Germany. It is a bank (geography), left bank tributary of the Rhine, which it joins at Koblenz. A sm ...
. It is the oldest standing bridge in the country, and the oldest
Roman bridge
The ancient Romans were the first civilization to build large, permanent bridges. Early Roman bridges used techniques introduced by Etruscan immigrants, but the Romans improved those skills, developing and enhancing methods such as arches and k ...
north of the
Alps
The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia.
...
.
The nine bridge pillars date from the 2nd century AD, replacing two older, wooden bridges that date at least as far back as 17 BC.
In Roman times, tossing a coin off of the bridge into the Moselle was an offering of good luck.
The upper part was renewed twice, in the early 12th and in the early 18th century, after suffering destruction in war. Along with
other Roman and Early Gothic sites in Trier, the bridge was inscribed on the
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
World Heritage List
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural heritag ...
in 1986 because of its historical importance and architecture.
Historical views
Roman Bridge Trier 1646.jpg, Engraving
Engraving is the practice of incising a design on a hard, usually flat surface by cutting grooves into it with a Burin (engraving), burin. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold, steel, or Glass engraving, glass ar ...
by Merian Merian may refer to
People with the surname
* Merian family, Swiss patrician family from Basel
* Matthäus Merian the Elder (1593–1650), Swiss-German engraver and publisher
* Matthäus Merian the Younger (1621–1687), Swiss painter
* Maria Siby ...
(1646)
Trier Römerbrücke Kaisermanöver 1893.jpg, Emperor's Maneuver, parade of the 8th (Rhenish) Cuirassiers (1893)
Fritz Quant Römerbrücke.jpg, Etching
Etching is traditionally the process of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio (incised) in the metal. In modern manufacturing, other chemicals may be used on other type ...
by Fritz Quant
Franz Xaver Friedrich Quant, known as Fritz (18 February 1888 in Trier – 3 November 1933 in Trier) was a German painter, graphic artist and designer.
Biography
His father was a master cooper (profession), cooper and innkeeper. He began his ...
()
Trier, Rheinland-Pfalz - Moselbrücke (Zeno Ansichtskarten).jpg, Postcard (1910)
Further reading
*
See also
*
List of Roman bridges
This is a list of Roman bridges. The Roman Empire, Romans were the world's first major bridge builders. The following constitutes an attempt to list all known surviving remains of Roman bridges.
A Roman bridge in the sense of this article in ...
*
List of bridges in Germany
This list of bridges in Germany lists bridges of particular historical, scenic, architectural or engineering interest. Road and railway bridges, viaducts, aqueducts and footbridges are included.
Historical and architectural interest bridges
{{ro ...
References
External links
*
Traianus– Technical investigation of Roman public works
Site of the Römerbrücke in Google Maps
Bridges in Rhineland-Palatinate
Trier
Trier ( , ; ), formerly and traditionally known in English as Trèves ( , ) and Triers (see also Names of Trier in different languages, names in other languages), is a city on the banks of the Moselle (river), Moselle in Germany. It lies in a v ...
Deck arch bridges
Stone bridges in Germany
Bridges completed in the 2nd century
Buildings and structures in Trier
History of Trier
Ancient Roman buildings and structures in Germany
Moselle
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