The Blue Wonder is one of the 10 bridges over the Elbe in Dresden. When it was completed in 1893 it was the fifth bridge over the big river. Actually, the structure is called Loschwitzer Brücke, but the name Blaues Wunder is much better known and more common. The Blue Iron Bridge Blaues Wunder is today considered the landmark of Dresden.
The Blue Wonder Dresden is a few kilometres upstream from the city centre of Dresden (east). The iron bridge connects the districts Blasewitz and Loschwitz. The name Blaues Wunder comes from the gigantic construction of the bridge. At that time, more than 100 years ago, there were hardly any iron bridges with such a wide distance between the piers. The shipping companies did not want another bridge with piers in the river. So the Blue Wonder spans the Elbe without intermediate piers. The total length of the Loschwitz bridge is about 280 meters. Between the two piers left and right of the Elbe are almost 150 meters. Bridges made of wrought iron with such a high distance between the piers were few in the world in the 1890s. The people of Dresden quickly called their new bridge a miracle of technology. Blue wonder, of course, because of the bluish colour of the iron construction.
The architect of the fantastic metal bridge in Dresden was Claus Koepcke. He built the great structure in only 2 years. In the past, one had to pay a toll when crossing the Blaues Wunder. Today this is of course free of charge.
Today you can see the bridge from all sides. It also makes sense to walk over the bridge Blaues Wunder. You have a great view of the Elbe. With the car you go too fast and you do not see much. Of course you can also walk down at the bridge in both directions along the Elbe. The majority of tourists do this on the southern side in the district Blasewitz.
Approach Blaues Wunder Dresden by boat: Very many tourists come by boat. The big ferries usually run hourly between the old town and the Blaues Wunder. The jetty Blasewitz is almost directly at the famous bridge. A one-way trip with the steamship costs 12 Euro for adults (as of the beginning of 2020). Departure in the city centre is right in the centre of the old town under the balcony of Europa.
Approach Blaues Wunder Dresden by tram: The next stop, about 100 meters from the bridge Blaues Wunder Dresden, is called Schillerplatz (lines 6 and 12 as well as some bus lines).
Many tourists go by boat to the Blue Wonder Bridge in the district Blasewitz and back again by tram. Of course this is also possible the other way round.
The Blue Wonder is probably number 2 on the list of the most famous bridges in Dresden today, and even more famous is the old Augustusbrücke in the city centre.
Next to the Blaue Wunder is a famous beer garden called Schillergarten. From parts of the beer garden you have a good view of the famous bridge. There is a lot going on in the area, many tourists come here. There are more restaurants and cafes, at the tram stop Schillerplatz also a small shopping centre. On the other side of the bridge is a small mountain railway, from the top you have a good view of the bridge and the Elbe valley.
By the way, the saying “experience its blue wonder” does not come from the bridge in Dresden, it is much older. It is rather the other way round: The bridge Blaues Wunder in Dresden probably got the name because the well-known saying already existed (pun). In the late Middle Ages the colour blue stood for deception. So the proverbial “experience the blue wonder” was and is an unpleasant surprise or deception.
Short video from Youtube about the Blue Wonder of Dresden
