Mülheimer Brücke
Rhine suspension bridge between Mülheim and Riehl — the origin of Cologne's iconic bridge-green colour and Germany's first bridge with an orthotropic deck.
since 1951
The Mülheimer Brücke is a suspension bridge spanning the Rhine, connecting the Cologne districts of Mülheim and Riehl. It was the first bridge to wear the patina-green colour later known as Kölner Brückengrün, and is recognised as the first bridge in Germany to feature an orthotropic deck plate.
At a Glance
- Type
- True steel suspension bridge across the Rhine
- Location
- Connects the right-bank districts of Mülheim and Riehl; the Riehl side belongs to the Nippes borough
- Current structure opened
- 8 September 1951
- Spans
- 682.80 m total length, main span 315 m
- Total width
- 27.20 m
- Use
- Four traffic lanes, a separate two-track light rail corridor, pedestrian and cycle paths on both sides
- Owner
- City of Cologne
- Listed building
- since 2 November 2004
Konrad Adenauer personally ordered the distinctive patina-green paint for the first Mülheimer Bridge – the colour subsequently became known as 'Cologne Bridge Green' and is still used today for all city-owned bridges in Cologne.
Things to do here
- Stroll across the Rhine and hear the water rushing below
- Admire the elegant suspension bridge in its classic Cologne bridge-green
- Enjoy the wide view of the Rhine and the districts of Mülheim and Riehl
- Photograph the slender pylons and suspension cables up close
- Cycle leisurely from one riverbank to the other on the bike path
Length comparison
Length compared with other Cologne bridges.
Age comparison
Age compared with other places in Cologne.
Three Bridges in One Place
The current structure is the third Rhine crossing at this location. It began in 1888 with the Mülheimer Schiffbrücke — a timber pontoon bridge resting on around 40 Rhine-anchored pontoons — which replaced an earlier ferry between Mülheim am Rhein and Cologne. The annexation agreement of 1914 committed Cologne to building a permanent bridge.
The Second Cologne Bridge Dispute
The choice of design sparked a fierce debate: a jury had selected a monumental arch bridge, but Lord Mayor Konrad Adenauer championed a more slender suspension bridge. Only after he had won over the KPD faction did the city council vote — 47 to 36 — in favour of the suspension bridge on 28 April 1927. Adenauer opened it on 13 October 1929 and had it painted patina-green, a colour that would become the hallmark of all Cologne's city-owned bridges.
Construction and Wartime Destruction
The 1929 bridge was a self-anchored suspension bridge: cable tension was absorbed as compression by the stiffened deck girder, eliminating heavy anchor blocks that were considered impossible to build in Cologne's subsoil. With a central span of 315 metres, it was the world's largest self-anchored suspension bridge at the time. During the air raid of 14 October 1944, a bomb hit detonated pre-placed demolition charges, destroying the bridge; the internal forces of the self-anchored design caused the pylons to buckle as well.
Reconstruction
Almost exactly five years later, on 13 October 1949, reconstruction began to a design by Cologne architect Wilhelm Riphahn with technical advice from Fritz Leonhardt. Unlike its predecessor, the new bridge was built as a true suspension bridge with ground-anchored cables, though it closely resembles the original in appearance. The inauguration in 1951 was again performed by Adenauer — now as Federal Chancellor.
Extension and the Iconic Green
Between 1976 and 1977 the bridge received a central light rail corridor along with two traffic lanes on each side. The Kölner Brückengrün, first introduced on the 1929 bridge, continues to be applied to all city-owned bridges to this day — with the exception of the concrete sections of the Deutzer Brücke.
Timeline
- 1888Mülheim pontoon bridge opened to traffic
- 1927-05-19Construction of the first Mülheim suspension bridge begins
- 1927-06-20Mülheim pontoon bridge closed and dismantled
- 1929-10-13Mayor Adenauer opens the first suspension bridge
- 1944-10-14Bridge destroyed in air raid
- 1949-10-13Construction of today's postwar bridge begins (Riphahn/Leonhardt design)
- 1951-09-08Chancellor Adenauer inaugurates the new Mülheim Bridge
- 1976–1977Extension with dedicated light-rail track added
- 2004-11-02Bridge listed as a protected monument
Map
Blue dots: other places nearby — tap to explore.
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Sources & links
- Official website
- Official website (retrieved 2026-06-25)
- Wikidata (retrieved 2026-06-23)
- Wikipedia (retrieved 2026-06-23, rev 267896585)
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-06-26
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