Oberbaum-Bridge
The brick-red Oberbaum-Bridge with its many little towers connects, today again Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg. It is the traffic junction between tram and underground station Warschauer Straße and Schlesischem Tor, daily underground trains, cars, bicycles and many pedestrians cross over the bridge. Oberbaum - the bridge received this name when once the Spree entry to the city was closed at night by a suspended tree trunk. In 1724 a wooden drawbridge replaced this primitive customs station. The bridge rebuilt to its present form was created 1894-96 in Markish red brick gothic style after plans by Otto Stahn for the Berlin trade exhibition. Since 1902 Berlin's first underground railway line crossed here Spree. The bridge suffered severe damage during the war.
During GDR times, the bridge was closed and has been repaired for 200 million Marks only after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The elevated railway received a new viaduct segment after plans by the Spaniard Santiago Calatrava.
Today, prestigious companies from the music and design branch locate their businesses here along the Spree. Berlin's media-city will develop here.