We left the touristy part of the Spree behind us, the tourist boats all turn around in front of the lock at Mühlendamm. We enjoyed the view of what I assume is an artists’ collective, river-side coffee houses and interesting architecture.
We had previously turned left off the Spree onto the Landwehrkanal. At the Spreekreutz, where four waterways meet, we turned right to be back on the Spree which had taken us into the government district. We were now closing the loop so to speak and approaching the bridge we had seen on the first day from the other side.
Passing under the Oberbaumbrücke gave us great close-up views of this gothic-style brick crossing. The first bridge at this location was built in 1732 to connect the city of Berlin to land on the other side. It had been a wooden drawbridge in the city wall, likely the origin of its name, “Baum” means “tree”, so Oberbaumbrücke would mean Upper-Tree-Bridge. In the late 1870s, despite plenty of modifications, it was no longer adequate for the amount of traffic it carried. A new bridge was designed and from the outset was engineered to have two crossing levels, an upper one with rail tracks and a lower one for foot and car traffic.
The middle section was intentionally damaged in 1945 to prevent the advance of the Red Army. Following an architectural competition, a new middle section was completed in 1995. The towers are purely decorative and were removed during the 20th century. Their original and now reconstructed design acts as a reminder that this crossing had once been an entry into the city of Berlin.
They differ from each other not just in shape but also in weather vane. One represents the Berlin bear, the other the Brandenburg eagle.
Having passed under the bridge, we continued on past familiar sites, albeit in the other direction. As the weather was a bit better we stopped by the floating open-air swimming pool, to find it had already closed and been emptied for the season.
The picture of Haus Zenner, a riverside restaurant and beer garden taken on this day is also prettier. Its origins are said to lie with the Knights Templar, it was bombed during the Second World War and rebuilt in the 1950s in a neoclassical style. After its re-opening in the mid-20th century, it hosted dances in the evening as well as day-trippers during the day.
This brings me to the end of the tales of messing about on boats in Berlin. Judging by this map of the waterways of Berlin there are plenty more places left to explore!
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