Alte Brucke (Old Bridge), Heidelberg (must see)

The Old Bridge spans the Neckar River, linking the Old Town with the historic Neuenheim district on the city’s northern side. Although completed in 1788, it is actually one of Heidelberg’s newer structures. Nine bridges have stood at this location over the centuries, with the present one constructed on the foundations of its predecessors. When the Theodor Heuss Bridge was built in 1877, this crossing became known as the “Old Bridge.”

The first bridge at this site was built by the Romans in the 1st century, but it later collapsed, and nearly 1,000 years passed before it was replaced. A new crossing was constructed in the 13th century, around the time Heidelberg was founded, close to the present location near Market Square. German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe praised its beauty as “not equalled by any other in the world,” and it continues to provide one of Heidelberg’s classic views. Before crossing the river, turn back to admire Heidelberg Castle rising high above the rooftops of the Old Town. You can decide whether Goethe was right.

A monkey statue has been associated with the bridge since the 15th century and remains a popular tourist attraction. The original disappeared during the Nine Years’ War and was later replaced. The present statue depicts a monkey holding a mirror in one hand. Visitors often place their heads inside the monkey’s hollow head, rub the mirror for luck, and touch its fingers in the hope of returning to Heidelberg. The monkey is not difficult to find: while facing the Bridge Gate, look to the left at its base to locate the bronze Bridge Monkey statue.

Finally, the bridge features statues of Prince Karl Theodor and Minerva. Pass beneath the whitewashed medieval Bridge Gate and follow the stone roadway farther across the bridge to inspect them. Minerva is depicted as a helmeted classical warrior goddess carrying a shield bearing the head of Medusa. Her ornate pedestal is decorated with figures representing Wisdom, Justice, Agriculture, and Commerce.