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Rathausbrücke

The Rathausbrücke is a bridge that spans the Spree River in the central district of Berlin, linking the banks near the Berliner Rathaus (City Hall) on the northern side to the southern bank of the Spree in the Bezirk Mitte. It forms an important east‑west artery for both vehicular traffic and pedestrians in one of the city’s most visited areas.

Construction of the bridge was carried out between 1904 and 1906 as part of a comprehensive redevelopment

The bridge has remained in continuous use, though it suffered war damage during World War II and was

Although the bridge in Berlin is the most frequently referenced Rathausbrücke, a similarly named bridge exists

of
the
city‑hall
precinct,
which
also
included
the
new
Rathaus
building.
The
design
was
the
work
of
the
city
architect
Ludwig Hoffmann,
who
employed
a
reinforced‑concrete
arch
system—a
modern
approach
at
the
time.
The
total
length
of
the
bridge
is
about
242 metres
and
it
consists
of
three
spans
supported
by
stone
piers
that
were
later
clad
in
granite
to
match
the
surrounding
architecture.
subsequently
repaired.
A
significant
renovation
programme
in
2013–2015
restored
the
masonry
and
reinforced
the
structural
elements
without
altering
the
historical
appearance.
Today
the
Rathausbrücke
serves
both
cars
and
cyclists,
as
well
as
a
pedestrian
walkway
that
offers
views
of
the
Spree
and
the
historic
precinct.
in
Frankfurt
am
Main,
where
it
crosses
the
Main
River
and
was
completed
in
1901.
Both
bridges
share
the
common
function
of
connecting
a
city
hall
with
its
surrounding
urban
fabric.