Dresden Closes the "Blaues Wunder" During Fall Break

Residents of Dresden will have to make do with one fewer major Elbe crossing during the upcoming fall break: The Loschwitz Bridge, known as the “Blue Wonder,” will be completely closed to motorized traffic starting Friday evening due to renovation work, according to an announcement by the state capital of Saxony. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic will still be permitted. All other traffic will be rerouted via the Waldschlößchen Bridge during this time. 

The work will last until the morning of October 20. During the nearly ten-day closure, scaffolding work is scheduled to take place on the Blasewitz side of the bridge to continue the renovation of the structure there. Work on the bridge is scheduled to resume at the end of October.

Historic Bridge to Be Repainted and Renovated

Parts of the railings and cable troughs had already been dismantled since the end of September. The work is part of the bridge’s renovation project, which has been ongoing since last year. The historic structure, built in 1893, has already been temporarily closed several times for this purpose. The famous Dresden Elbe Bridge is scheduled to receive a new coat of paint as corrosion protection by 2031. To this end, the exact shade of paint used on the “Blue Wonder” in 1893 was specifically identified.

In addition, defective steel components are being replaced, bridge bearings are being reinforced, piers are being repaired, and ultimately the roadway will be renewed, the report continues. According to the city, the total cost of all the work is expected to amount to up to 126 million euros.