Wonderful find in Dresden: relief from the Carola Bridge discovered after 80 years!

Wonderful find in Dresden: relief from the Carola Bridge discovered after 80 years!

There was recently an exciting discovery in Dresden that will make the hearts of history lovers beat faster. On June 25, 2025, a historical cast iron relief from the old Carola Bridge was recovered from the Elbe after over 80 years. This impressive piece is not only 1.90 meters high, but is also a testament to the beautiful architecture of the bridge, which was built between 1892 and 1895. The relief had been in the water since the bridge was blown up in May 1945 and has now come to light again.

The amazing find was made by a four-year-old female Miniature Schnauzer named Frieda. During a walk with her owner Ralf Liebscher, who runs the café-bar “Saxxim” in Neustadt, she discovered the relief at a low water level of 68 centimeters. Ralf Liebscher captured the moment and informed the Carolabrücke initiative. Thanks to his initiative, the relief is now being restored and has found a new place in the Dresden Lapidarium. There it will be temporarily stored while further restoration is considered.

The history of the Carola Bridge

The old Carola Bridge, which was once 500 meters long and made of stone and iron girders, was largely destroyed in 1945. The structure was an important connection between the two sides of the Elbe, and some equestrian sculptures from 1907 are still visible on the Old Town bridge entrance. The city recently refused to salvage the relief for cost reasons, but the bridge demolition company Hentschke now provided the necessary support as part of the demolition work on the new Carola Bridge.

The monument protection authority and the Saxony State Office for Monument Preservation are now planning how the relief can be preserved. A later location could be considered in the area around the planned third Carola Bridge. This bridge is part of Dresden's rich cultural heritage, which is highly valued in the city with around 9,300 cultural monuments, including churches, famous buildings and historic parks.

A thank you from the city

The city of Dresden thanked Ralf Liebscher and his loyal companion Frieda in a special way. People expressed their thanks via Facebook and acknowledged the remarkable find, which brings a piece of history back to the people's memory. And who knows, maybe you'll soon be able to visit Frieda in person at the “Saxxim” bar, where you can find her from Wednesday to Saturday from 7 p.m. A unique place to chat about the city's history and its impressive cultural monuments over a good drink.

Dresden, often affectionately referred to as “Florence on the Elbe”, not only has the baroque splendor that made it a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but also stories such as that of the old Carola Bridge, which hides old secrets in the clutches of the Elbe and has come to light again through its discovery.

You can find more information about this historic event at Day24 and at t online. For a further historical perspective on Dresden's valuable cultural monuments, read the details Wikipedia.