History
HISTORY OF THE NIBELUNGENTOWER
Our tower in Worms has over 120 years of history.
1897-1953: the Nibelungentower
Between 1897 and 1900, a fixed bridge was built over the Rhine near Worms for the first time. It was inaugurated on 26 March 1900 in the presence of Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig of Hesse and near Rhine and has since borne the name Ernst Ludwig Bridge. As a special ornament, it was given a tower-shaped roadway superstructure on both sides. The plans for this came from Karl Hoffmann. During the Second World War, FLAKs were installed on the two stairway towers. In March 1945, the bridge was blown up. The damaged bridge tower on the Hessian side of the Rhine was demolished and the steel construction of the arches spanning the Rhine was replaced by Germany's first prestressed concrete bridge built in a free cantilever. When it was inaugurated in 1953, it was given the new name "Nibelungen Bridge". The Nibelungen Tower has a total height of 53m. A few years ago, the Rheingütestation was set up in the three basement levels and on the viewing platform of the staircase arcade. The old ticket offices at roadway level gave way after the war to breakthroughs for footpaths and cycle paths. Directly above the passage were two floors of service flats for the bridge attendants, and later the two upper solid floors were also converted. Above this there are three attic storeys under the imposing slate helmet. Above the roadway, there are eight floors, five of which are in use.
1972-1996: From a bridge tower to a scout center
Between 1897 and 1900, a fixed bridge was built over the Rhine near Worms for the first time. It was inaugurated on 26 March 1900 in the presence of Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig of Hesse and near Rhine and has since borne the name Ernst Ludwig Bridge. As a special ornament, it was given a tower-shaped roadway superstructure on both sides. The plans for this came from Karl Hoffmann. During the Second World War, FLAKs were installed on the two stairway towers. In March 1945, the bridge was blown up. The damaged bridge tower on the Hessian side of the Rhine was demolished and the steel construction of the arches spanning the Rhine was replaced by Germany's first prestressed concrete bridge built in a free cantilever. At the inauguration in 1953, it was given the new name "Nibelungen Bridge".
1997-tody: Renovation at the end of the 90s
Time has left its mark on the Nibelungenturm. After 20 years of youth meetings, the building, which looked so proud from the outside, presented a rather sad and very familiar sight from the inside. After the Friends had created and looked after the tower for many years with great commitment and personal dedication, the VCP Rhineland-Palatinate/Saar took over the sponsorship in 1996. The difficult question was how to proceed. Larger investments would not have been worthwhile because of the short term of the lease, and the financial resources needed for a renovation project of this magnitude were not sufficiently forthcoming. Despite all these adversities, the people involved decided to work through a rehabilitation project, obtain the contracts and permits in the desired form, and let the whole thing run as a giant scout join-in action. Half a year later, after many negotiations, door-to-door canvassing, marathon visits to the authorities, search for sponsors, unexpected funds granted in the current budget, a building permit and a 25-year lease, the renovation work in the first construction phase could begin in autumn 1997 under the direction of the architect Andreas Müller. Only thanks to numerous generous donations in kind and especially the commitment of many volunteers was it possible to celebrate the reopening in autumn 1999 with a large inauguration ceremony. And only in this way could the Nibelungen Tower become what it is today: a modern educational and meeting place of a very special kind.3 it was given the new name "Nibelungen Bridge".