Description of the attraction
The Lorrainebrücke bridge, which spans the Are river, connects the historic center of Bern with the Lorraine quarter, which is located in the north of the city. A little further downstream, you can see another bridge designed for the movement of trains.
The Lorreinbrücke Bridge was built between 1928 and 1930 as a replacement for the Eissenbrücke Bridge, which was intended for both pedestrians and cars. Construction management was entrusted to Robert Mayart's engineering firm and Losinger. The construction of the bridge began in February 1928. Engineers Eugen Lossinger and Simon Mann supervised every stage of construction. Lorreinbrücke was officially opened on May 17, 1930. Actual construction costs amounted to CHF 2,563,000. However, 293 thousand Swiss francs still needed to be invested in the construction of a convenient access road and in the improvement of the embankment.
The arch bridge is 178 meters long and 18 meters wide. It rises 37.5 meters above the river. The 82 meter long ellipsoidal main arch was designed by Robert Mayart from unreinforced concrete. On the southern platform in front of the bridge, there are two sculptures made of limestone by the artist Paul Kunz.
In the late 1940s, the integrity of the bridge was compromised, and a wide crack formed in the roadway due to the construction of a new greenhouse in the Botanical Garden, which is located downstream of the river. The bridge was rebuilt very quickly.
If you stop at the site right in the center of the bridge, you can see the valley of the Are river, and on the horizon the alpine peaks of the Bernese Oberland region.
