Gebsattelbrücke

The Gebsattelbrücke is a graceful arched road bridge in Munich’s Au district. It carries the Hochstraße over the Gebsattelberg and the Gebsattelstraße at right angles, linking the Mariahilfplatz to the higher Regerplatz. Designed by architect Theodor Fischer, the bridge was completed in 1901 and has been protected as a monument since then. Two broad staircases on either side give pedestrians a direct route up from the street below. The bridge forms part of a longer elevated road that runs from the Nockherberg to Rosenheimer Straße. The bridge is notable for its ornamental details. Bronze herons hold lily branches above the central obelisks on each parapet, echoing the lily in the Au district’s coat of arms. Beneath each obelisk sits a small figure of the Münchner Kindl. The western stairway features a stone fountain by August Blössner, carved by Philipp Widmer in 1908. The eastern stairway is crowned by an oversized bear sculpture. Local tradition has centred on the bridge since 1948, when the first Soapbox Race took place on the Gebsattelberg below. The event ran until the early 1960s, then returned in 2004 for the 150th anniversary of Au’s incorporation into Munich. The bridge’s clean lines and carefully crafted decorations make it a quiet landmark where engineering and artistry meet.