issued Oct.19th,1973 Saarbrücken has not only "bridges" in her name,but also various bridges crossing the River Saar. The shown bridge is the oldest of Saarbrücken,named,as one might guess,Alte Brücke (old bridge). Built 1546/47 it has seen many alterations and is open today for pedestrians and cyclists.
issued Oct.20th,1972 issued July 18th,1996 The "Alte Brücke" (Old Bridge) is not really old at all.Built 1786-88 it got her name when a second bridge (New Bridge) was built in 1877. The correct name of the Alte Brücke is Karl-Theodor-Brücke. Karl Theodor was the Kurfürst (Prince Elector) of the Pfalz (Palatine),who ordered the building of the bridge. In the same location was a wooden roman bridge.After it was destroyed there was no bridge for about a thousand years. Eight further bridges were build later,all,one after the next were destroyed by drifting ice. The Alte Brücke was built on the foundations of previous bridges. However the bridge gate is from one of the earliar bridges,built in the 15th century,but was later altered several times. Partially blown up at the end of WW II by german forces,in order to hold up the approaching enemy-forces (to no avail),it was rebuilt soon after the war,to be reopened 1947. Today it is open for use by pedestrians and cyclists.
Bridges as symbols for connecting people and nations. Upper stamp: issued Jan.16th,2003,celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Franco-German treaty of friendship and cooperation. Lower stamp: issued May 8th,1984 common Europa-stamps and commemorating the 25th anniversary of the CEPT.
issued May 5th,1987 The Köhlbrand-bridge is a highway-bridge in Hamburg,opened in 1974. It crosses the Köhlbrand,one of the side-arms of the River Elbe. It is the second-longest road-bridge in Germany,with a total length,two ramps included,of 3618 m. The bridge is proof,how fast modern times are changing: In 2012 the government of Hamburg decided,to demolish the bridge. The reason: at low tide the maximum height of ships passing under the bridge can be 53 m.However some of the recent built huge container-ships need more height. No decision has been made till now,wether to build a higher bridge,or to replace it with a tunnel,what would allow unlimited high ships to pass.
Stamp issued January 9th,1992.Of the 31.076.000 printed stamps,by error about 100.000 were printed on paper without fluorescence. The brige most in the foreground ist the Balduin-Bridge.Named after the prince-elector Balduin of Luxemburg,who ordered the edification around 1342/3.It took 85 years to be built. Since it´s opening in 1429 countless reconstructions an alterations were done. Like so many bridges,it was also blown up near the end of WW II by german forces,but rebuilt soon afterwards. Today it is a heavily used road-bridge with pedestrian- and bicycle lanes.
issued June 20th,1997 The Müngstener Bridge (till 1918 Kaiser-Wilhelm-Brücke),built 1894-97 is Germany´s highest railway bridge (107 m over Ground). A thorough overhaul is taking place since 2010 and should make the bridge fitted for many years to come.
issued Jan.22nd,1998 The Glienicker-Bridge is a road-bridge across the river Havel, built in 1907. It connects Potsdam (state of Brandenburg) with Berlin. The design shows a map with the state-border marked in red. The bridge made history during the "Cold War",when exchanges of prisoners took place on the bridge,what at this time was the border between the GDR and West-Berlin. The most spectacular exchange happend in 1962,when the US and Russia exchanged the Russian top spy R.I.Abel against F.G.Powers, an american pilot,who was shot down over the Soviet Union,while on a spy-mission with an high-altitude going U-2 plane.
issued Oct.14th,1999 The Göltzschtal-Bridge in Saxony is a two-lane railway-bridge. Built in 1846-1851 it is said to be tallest (78 m above ground) brick-built bridge worldwide.
I'll join the bridges thread with the 5c Pan American Exposition issue (1901) showing the bridge over the Niagara River and connecting Niagara Falls, Ontario with Niagara Falls, New York. I think the bridge shown on this stamp was known as the International Bridge and also as the Honeymoon Bridge. It was completed in 1898 and lasted until 1938 when it collapsed due to an ice build-up in the river. Not the best of stamps, but the one I have. Don The stamp. A photo of the bridge:
The railroad bridge across the same river. This stamp, Sc. 961 issued August 2, 1948, commemorates U.S. - Canadian friendship. This bridge was known as the Niagara Railway Suspension Bridge. It opened in 1855 and remained in service until 1897. Don The stamp: A lithograph of the bridge which looks as if it may have been used as a model for the stamp.
A third U.S. commemorative stamp featuring bridges, old and new. The old is an unidentified covered bridge in the lower left of the stamp and the new is the George Washington Bridge over the Hudson River and connecting New York City and New Jersey near Ft. Lee. The George Washington Bridge was opened to traffic in 1931. It accommodates foot and bicycle traffic as well. The image on the stamp shows only a single level. A lower level was added in the late 1950s. The stamp was issued on September 6, 1952 to commemorate the centennial of the Society of Civil Engineers. Don The stamp: A photo showing much the same view of the bridge:
issued April 13th,2000 The "Blaues Wunder" (blue miracle) is a road-bridge in Dresden,crossing the river Elbe. Built 1891-93 it also had tram-way tracks. Because of "old age",the bridge was closed for trams and heavy vehicles in 1985. More than 20.000 cars cross the bridge every day,but it is uncertain for how much longer. In the next few years a decision has to be made either to close the bridge or to undertake a likely very expensive overhaul.
Next up from my U.S.commemorative pages is this 1958 stamp showing the Mackinac Bridge connecting St. Ignace, Upper Michigan and Mackinaw City, Lower Michigan. A relatively new bridge, it opened to traffic in 1957. It is a little over five miles long. I've driven over this bridge and there is a toll, but I don't remember how much it is. Don The stamp:
This 1964 U.S. stamp commemorating the opening of the Verrazano Narrows bridge looks very similar to the stamp above. Not much originality involved with this design, although, the Verrazano stamps does include a map locating the bridge. The Verrazano is a double-decked bridge connecting Staten Island and Brooklyn, NY. Don The bridge:
I've gotten a little ahead of my self chronologically by forgetting airmail stamps. There was a U.S. definitive airmail bridge stamp issued in 1947 to cover the airmail rate to the Pacific area. It shows a Boeing Stratocruiser flying over the Oakland Bay bridge with San Francisco in the background. A double-decker, it opened in 1936 and connects Oakland, California, and San Francisco. Don The stamp:
