Bridgehead Buildings

Linz, the state capital of Upper Austria, is a city with a rich and diverse cultural heritage. One of its most prominent features is the main plaza, which is the largest urban square in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The main plaza is surrounded by various historical and modern buildings, but perhaps the most striking ones are the bridgehead buildings, which are located on the north side of the square and form its terminus towards the Danube river. These buildings are not only popular tourist attractions, but also important monuments that reflect the city’s history and architecture.

The Origin and Design of the Bridgehead Buildings

The bridgehead buildings were constructed between 1940 and 1943, as part of the monumental architecture of the Linz Danube bank planned during the National Socialist period. The architect responsible for their design was Roderich Fick, who was also involved in other Nazi projects such as the Kehlsteinhaus (Eagle’s Nest) and the Reich Chancellery. Fick’s vision was to create a grandiose and imposing façade for the city, which would be visible from both the river and the bridge.

The bridgehead buildings are positioned on either side of the Nibelungen Bridge, which was built at the same time and replaced the previous wooden bridge that dated back to the 15th century. The bridgehead buildings link the main plaza to the bridge, and also serve as gateways to the city. The east bridgehead building is east of the Nibelungen Bridge, while the west bridgehead building is west of it. Both structures are roughly symmetrical, with arcades leading to Adlergasse (east) and Badgasse (west), two of the oldest streets in Linz.

The bridgehead buildings have a rectangular shape and a flat roof, and are made of reinforced concrete and brick. They have four floors and an attic, and are decorated with pilasters, cornices, and friezes. The façades are mostly plain, except for some reliefs and sculptures that depict scenes from Germanic mythology and history, such as Siegfried and the dragon, Arminius and the Cherusci, and the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest. These motifs were intended to glorify the Nazi ideology and the Germanic heritage of the region.

Originally, neo-baroque stucco features for the façade were planned as an adaptation to the baroque main square ensemble, but these were never realized. Some of the structures’ interiors were not finished until after 1945, due to the war and the subsequent Allied occupation. The bridgehead buildings were damaged by bombing raids and artillery fire, but were later restored and renovated.

The Current Use and Function of the Bridgehead Buildings

The bridgehead buildings have undergone several changes and modifications over the years, both in terms of their appearance and their purpose. They have been refurbished and the attic was remodeled between 2015 and 2018, to improve their energy efficiency and accessibility. They have also been repurposed for various cultural and educational institutions, as well as commercial and residential spaces.

The east bridgehead building, which used to house the tax office, as well as the Stadtkeller inn and stores, now hosts the Kunstuni Linz, or the University of Art and Design Linz. The Kunstuni Linz is one of the largest and most prestigious art schools in Austria, and offers courses in various disciplines such as fine arts, media, design, architecture, and music. The Kunstuni Linz occupies the first, second, and third floors of the building, as well as part of the ground floor and the attic. The building also contains a fountain in its courtyard, which was installed in 1956.

The west bridgehead building, which used to hold the Rot-Weiss-Rot transmitter, then the ORF (Austrian Broadcasting Corporation), the municipal art collections (Neue Galerie, Gurlitt Collection), and the municipal archive, now contains the Linz Art University, a pharmacy, and a textile business. The Linz Art University is a private institution that offers courses in painting, sculpture, photography, and graphic design. The Linz Art University occupies the ground floor and the first floor of the building, as well as part of the attic. The building also features a siren fountain in its second courtyard, which was created by Erich Ruprecht in 1956.

Both buildings had paternoster lifts (the only ones in Upper Austria at the time), which were a type of elevator that consisted of a chain of open compartments that moved continuously in a loop. When the art university moved in around 1980, the one in the west building was decommissioned and replaced with a standard lift; later, the one in the east building was similarly decommissioned and replaced.

The Significance and Appeal of the Bridgehead Buildings

The bridgehead buildings are recognized as monuments by the Austrian Federal Monuments Office, and are protected by law. They are also listed in the European Heritage Label, which is a designation that recognizes sites that have a symbolic value for European history and culture. The bridgehead buildings are considered to be examples of the architectural style of the Third Reich, which was influenced by classical and modernist elements, and aimed to create a sense of power and authority. They are also witnesses of the turbulent and tragic history of Linz during the 20th century, and the transformations that the city has undergone since then.

The bridgehead buildings are popular tourist attractions in Linz, and attract visitors from all over the world. They offer a unique and contrasting view of the city, as they juxtapose the old and the new, the traditional and the contemporary, the historical and the artistic. They are also a source of inspiration and creativity for the students and teachers of the art universities, who use them as a space for learning, experimenting, and exhibiting their works. The bridgehead buildings are not only remarkable structures, but also vibrant and dynamic places that reflect the diversity and vitality of Linz.

Linz, Austria