The Old Main Bridge (Alte Mainbrücke) is the stone bridge that carries pedestrians across the river Main from Würzburg's old town towards Marienberg Fortress. Built between 1473 and 1543, it was the city's only bridge over the river until 1886. Twelve baroque statues of saints and rulers line its parapets, and on summer evenings the bridge fills with people holding a glass of Franconian wine.
The Old Main Bridge at a glance
- Where: across the Main between the old town, at the town hall, and the former fishermen's quarter on the left bank, below Marienberg Fortress.
- Built: 1473–1543, replacing a Romanesque stone bridge from the 12th century; the statues were added around 1730.
- What it is today: Würzburg's oldest bridge over the Main, open to pedestrians and cyclists, and the city's favourite place to meet for a glass of wine.
- Time needed: 20–30 minutes to cross and look at the statues, an hour or more if you stay for a drink at sunset.
From Romanesque crossing to baroque gallery
A stone bridge stood here as early as the 12th century, often described as one of the first stone bridges in Germany. As it became more and more damaged, the prince-bishops of Würzburg had a new bridge built on the same line, a slow project that ran from 1473 to 1543. For more than three centuries afterwards it remained the only way across the Main in the city, linking the bishop's town on the right bank with the fortress on the hill opposite. Around 1730 the bridge was given its twelve baroque statues, each about 4.5 metres tall, in a tradition of statue-lined bridges also seen on the Charles Bridge in Prague.
The Second World War hit the bridge twice. The air raid of 16 March 1945, which destroyed most of Würzburg's old town, badly damaged the statues, and in early April retreating German troops blew up part of the bridge to slow the American advance. Both bridge and figures were repaired after the war. Since then, with traffic gone, the bridge has turned into a long, narrow square over the water, where locals and visitors gather on warm evenings.
What to look for
- St Kilian: the Irish missionary bishop and patron saint of Würzburg, who according to tradition was killed in Würzburg in 689 with his companions Colman and Totnan. Totnan has his own statue on the bridge.
- Charlemagne and Pepin the Short: the two Frankish rulers stand among the saints, a reminder of the early ties between the Frankish kings and the bishops of Würzburg.
- St John of Nepomuk: the Bohemian priest who became the patron saint of bridges, found on many baroque bridges in Central Europe.
- The view across the river: Marienberg Fortress on its hill above the left bank and, further south, the Käppele pilgrimage church among the vineyards.
- The view back to the old town: the town hall tower at the end of the bridge and the towers of the cathedral rising behind the rooftops.
The Brückenschoppen
The bridge's best-known ritual is the Brückenschoppen: buying a glass of Franconian wine from one of the wine bars at the end of the bridge and drinking it standing at the parapet, between the statues, with the fortress in view. Franconia is known above all for its dry Silvaner and for the Bocksbeutel, the flat, round bottle in which its wines are traditionally sold. On a fine summer evening the whole bridge turns into an open-air wine bar.
Tips for your visit
- Come around sunset for the Brückenschoppen and the warm light on Marienberg Fortress. Come early in the morning for photos of the statues without the crowds.
- Share the bridge with cyclists: keep to one side when you stop to look or take pictures.
- From the left-bank end, you can climb up to Marienberg Fortress; it is a steep walk, so wear comfortable shoes.
Nearby
- Marienberg Fortress: the hilltop castle on the left bank, the seat of Würzburg's prince-bishops until they moved into the new Residence in the 18th century.
- Käppele: the baroque pilgrimage church by Balthasar Neumann on the Nikolausberg, reached by a long staircase of chapels.
- Town hall (Grafeneckart): Würzburg's town hall at the old-town end of the bridge, with a medieval tower.
- Würzburg Cathedral: the Romanesque cathedral of St Kilian, a few minutes' walk straight up Domstraße from the bridge.
See Würzburg with World City Trail
Our Würzburg scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around 2 hours, with about 35 minutes of walking. It includes Würzburg Cathedral, the Marktplatz and the Würzburg Residence.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Würzburg.
Play the Würzburg scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Würzburg →
Play the outdoor escape game in Würzburg →
Facts checked in October 2026.