Exhibition: "The Wertheim Main Bridge in Focus"

Special Exhibition "The Wertheim Main Bridge in Focus – Main and Secondary Locations of a Cross-Border Structure from 1362 to Today"

On the occasion of the planned demolition and subsequent reconstruction of the old Main Bridge between Wertheim and Kreuzwertheim at the end of 2025, the County Museum is bringing its history and future into focus. The exhibition was created in cooperation with the city of Wertheim, the Historical Society of Wertheim, and the market community of Kreuzwertheim. As early as 1362, there was a desire for a stone bridge to connect the areas of the County of Wertheim separated by the Main River. Nevertheless, for centuries, a ferry transported people, animals, and goods to the other shore. It was only with the founding of the German Empire in 1871 that the time seemed ripe for the construction of a bridge. After years of negotiations, discussions, and maneuvering, construction began in 1879 for the cross-border railway line between the Bavarian town of Lohr and Baden's Wertheim. Its route required crossing the Main River at Wertheim. In a state treaty, the Kingdom of Bavaria and the Grand Duchy of Baden agreed to build not only a railway bridge but also a road bridge.

The exhibition highlights the eventful history of the bridge, starting with its planning and construction, its opening in 1881/82, its demolition in 1945, and its reconstruction. Who planned the bridge? Who supervised the hundreds of railway workers? Where and how did the mostly foreign workers live, some of whom even came from the mountainous regions of Tyrol and Italy? The exhibition features historical photographs and tells the story of the bridge itself, while also referencing the secondary locations and related topics such as railway construction in the region and the technology used in bridge building. Additionally, visitors will have the opportunity to take a glimpse into the future of the Main Bridge today.