The Magdeburg Water Bridge (Wasserstraßenkreuz Magdeburg) is the longest navigable aqueduct in the world — an extraordinary 918-metre-long concrete channel that carries a river over a river, allowing cargo barges to cross high above the Elbe on Europe’s most audacious piece of waterway engineering. Opened in 2003 after nearly a century of planning, the bridge connects the Mittelland Canal to the Elbe-Havel Canal, eliminating a 12-kilometre detour through the Elbe’s locks and representing a triumph of modern engineering on a scale that has to be seen — preferably from a boat cruising across it — to be believed.

Quick Facts: Magdeburg Water Bridge

• Best time to visit: April–October for boat trips across the bridge; the visitor centre and viewing platforms are open year-round
• Length: 918 metres — the longest navigable aqueduct in the world
• How to get there: ~1.5 hours from Berlin by car (A2); ~1 hour from Hanover; Magdeburg’s main station is a 15-minute bus ride away
• Experience it: Boat tours cross the bridge from the visitor centre at Hohenwarthe, offering the unique experience of cruising over a river 30 metres below

Magdeburg Water Bridge (Wasserstrassenkreuz Magdeburg) is really unique bridge – it is the longest navigable aqueduct in the world. Its structure is crossing over the Elbe River in Hohenwarthe near the city of Magdeburg, Germany. As one of the few in the world it was not designed for vehicle traffic, but for the ships! This is indeed, as the name predicts, the water bridge or channel.

Magdeburg Water Bridge was opened in 2003 and connects Berlin’s inland harbour network with the ports along the Rhine river. The bridge also allows the traffic of larger ships. This unique bridge is able to support even the heaviest boats and also to withstand the winter ice.

Its length is 918m, depth 4.25m and width is up to 34 m. The construction took €500 milion and used 24,000 tonnes of steel and 68,000 cubic meters of concrete.

View Magdeburg Water Bridge in Germany – the longest navigable aqueduct in the world (918m) in a larger map

Have you cruised across the Magdeburg Water Bridge or discovered Germany’s engineering marvels? Share your experiences in the comments! 🚢

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