The Roman Bridge Size report
The Roman Bridge (German: Römerbrücke) was first built in ancient Roman times and expanded to its current size in the Moorish era. This Roman Bridge spans the Moselle River in Trier, Germany, one of the oldest bridges in Germany.
A wooden bridge originally crossed the Moselle River; the ancient Romans built the new stone bridge with basalt blocks from the nearby Mount Eiffel. The nine pillars of the Roman Bridge were built in the 2nd century AD, and the upper part of the bridge was rebuilt twice after French troops bombed it in the 12th and 18th centuries AD.
Trier is located in the narrow Moselle valley and is the oldest town in Germany, with a history of 2000 years. In 16 BC, the Roman emperor Augustus built it here; at the end of the 3rd century AD, the ancient Roman emperor Diocletian made it the seat of his court. Trier has built many historic buildings, one after another, making Trier the city with the most surviving Roman ruins in Germany. Here we focus on the introduction of the ancient Roman Bridge.
Size and Features of The Roman Bridge
The ancient Roman bridge sits over the Mosel River in Trier, the third bridge in this location since Trier was built. Its stone piles are deeply embedded in the bedrock of the riverbed and date back to 144-152 AD. The arches and pavements date back to the 18th century and are constructed from huge blocks of stone, similar to the black city gate of Trier.
The stone used for the building comes from a quarry near the former volcano Hohe Buche, basalt in the Eiffel National Park, so it appears naturally black. The piers are triangular in the current direction to resist flooding and ice impacts. It is said that nine piers originally built by the Romans remain to this day, two of which were concealed during the renovation of the dam during the Roman period.
Dimensions of The Roman Bridge
The Roman Bridge in Trier is 198 meters long. The 13-meter-wide bridge deck is 14 meters above the water surface at ordinary water levels, and ships can pass smoothly without folding down the mast downstream. There are a total of 8 arches of different lengths. You can find the details in the below table.
Quick Facts | Size |
---|---|
Length | 198 m |
Width | 13 m |
Clearance below | 14 m at nomal water level |
Number of Span | 8 |
Span Length | 16.48 m - 18.40 m -21.25 m - 21.24 m - 19.47 m - 20.69 m - 19.89 m - 10.68 m |
Final Words
Along with other Roman sites in Trier, including the Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St Peter, and Church of Our Lady in Trier, etc., the Roman Bridge was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986 because of its historical importance and architecture. Despite wars, extreme weather, and human activities for centuries, the Roman Bridge is still in use today, with a steady stream of vehicles on the bridge daily. All the Roman ruins in Trier have witnessed the historical changes and progress of human civilization that the city has experienced, preparing a unique cultural and historical feast for art lovers and history lovers.