Treasure of the Carola Bridge: Cast iron relief is finally recovered!

Treasure of the Carola Bridge: Cast iron relief is finally recovered!

A piece of history was brought to light in Dresden: a cast iron relief from the old Carola Bridge, which had lain in the Elbe riverbed since the Second World War, was recovered. The bridge, which was built between 1892 and 1895, was destroyed except for the pillars in 1945. After many years of uncertainty, during which the relief was visible at low tide and attracted both Dresden residents and visitors, it is now safe. Neustadt-Ticker reports that the salvage took place as part of the demolition work on the newer Carola Bridge and that the main goal was to protect the object from further damage.

The relief measures 1.90 m high, 1.30 m wide and has a depth of 0.30 m. It will be handed over to the Dresden Lapidarum, where it can be stored and possibly restored. The city's monument protection authority coordinates the next steps in metal preservation in collaboration with the Saxony State Office for Monument Preservation. These initiatives show the commitment to preserving Dresden's cultural assets, even if an earlier salvage was not possible due to cost reasons.

Reconstruction of the Carola Bridge

In parallel to this good news, the Carolabrücke initiative has presented a new bridge concept in the hope of creating an appropriate successor to the old days. After the CDU proposal for a two-story bridge was rejected by the city administration, the new concept is based on historical models. Additional electricity pillars should be avoided, which shows a good hand for preserving the cityscape. The city administration has already signaled that the planning offices should develop two design variants, one of which should be based on the original Carola Bridge, which was inaugurated in 1895.

The initiative advocates a statically safe arch bridge with a span of 120 meters. There could be a legal basis for a new bridge because approval for a power pillar has already been granted. Nevertheless, it is expected that extensive adjustments to the collapsed bridge will be necessary, which could result in a planning approval procedure. The city administration hopes to avoid delays so as not to lose sight of starting construction by 2027.

A look back and forward

The old Carola Bridge was an impressive construction, 500 meters long and made of a combination of stone and iron girders. It had two stream pillars and a bridge that was quite deep at 16 meters. The equestrian sculptures by the sculptor Friedrich Offermann on the Old Town bridge entrance were not removed until they were destroyed, which suggests that parts of the structures could remain part of the cityscape.

By salvaging the relief and the planned new buildings, Dresden is showing that the city wants to both preserve its history and invest in the future. It will be exciting to see how the plans for the Carola Bridge continue to develop and how citizens will be involved in the design of the new structure. In this way, the connection between past and future in Dresden is constantly being revitalized.