Keplerbrücke Bridge

The Keplerbrücke Bridge is a road bridge built in 1963 that spans the Mur River in Graz, the capital of Styria. The chain bridge, which was built in 1836, and the arch bridge, constructed in 1882, are the predecessors of the current structure.

The crossing of the Mur at this point has a history dating back to 1836. It was during this year that the first bridge, in the form of a chain bridge, was opened here. When it was first opened, this chain bridge was not only the first in Styria but also the largest in Austria. The bridge was initially named after Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria, who reigned from 1835 to 1848. The Ferdinand Bridge underwent a conversion in 1882, transforming it into an arch bridge. This conversion marked the first use of the Langersche beam. Then, in 1920, the bridge was renamed Keplerbrücke in honor of Johannes Kepler. Kepler was a renowned German natural philosopher, mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, optician, and evangelical theologian. He taught at the University of Graz from 1594 to 1600.

The bridge that exists today was constructed in 1963 using reinforced concrete and steel girders. Due to cost considerations, the new building no longer features tram tracks, unlike its predecessor. Until now, the second line of the Graz tramway has been operating on the Kepler Bridge. Subsequent track-laying is no longer possible due to their current construction.

In the decades that followed, the three-lane bridge underwent multiple renovations, with the most recent one occurring in 2015. In 2006, the longest bridge in the city was constructed, crossing over the heavily used route for cyclists and pedestrians along the left bank of the Mur. The underpass, known as Elise-Steininger-Steg, was opened on January 28, 2006. It was named in honor of Elise Steininger, a pioneering cyclist. The underpass spans a length of 135 meters. However, in 2012, it was replaced by a longer longitudinal bridge measuring 165 meters. This new bridge, located near the road and railway bridge called Weinzödlbrücke, became the longest “bridge” in Graz, surpassing the underpass.

The Kepler Bridge in Graz is a popular spot for cyclists. In May 2017, nearly 7,000 people rode their bikes here on an average working day. For comparison, approximately 17,000 vehicles crossed the bridge in January 2020. The City of Graz’s Traffic Planning Department manages an automatic bike counting station that has been installed on the bridge’s underwater side. This station has been in operation since 2015 and is located on the footpath and cycle path, separated by a line. The Kepler-Gymnasium is situated on the right bank of the Mur River, right next to the bridge.