The Covered Bridges

You’re now standing on Strasbourg’s famous covered bridges. They’ve been uncovered since 1784, but hey, the name’s quite catchy, so we might as well stick with it. The three imposing towers date back to the 14th century! They are among the remains of the city’s old walls. There were a total of 90! At the time, Strasbourg was a wealthy, independent city, with its own currency and customs, so it needed protection! The distinctive shape of the river, resembling a hand, unfortunately provided the enemy with several entry points to the city. That’s why they built a series of covered bridges, sealed shut with loopholes facing potential attackers. The side facing the city remained open for passage. There were originally 4 fortified towers defending the bridges. Today, you can see three of them. One was destroyed by a fire and the other 3 served as prisons; one military, one civilian and one especially for the French! The towers were also occasionally used to isolate quarantined patients. Today, they are a living reminder of this memorable past, and an important part of Strasbourg’s historical heritage. They are of course listed as historical monuments.