A landmark of Fribourg
The Zaehringen bridge (named in reference to the Zähringen family who founded the city in 1157) was built in 1924, replacing the Grand suspension bridge, which stood in the same place since 1834 (built by Joseph Chaley).
The Zaehringen bridge is located in the Bourg-district, nearby the Cathedral of St. Nicholas. It allows, at its upper level, the link between the Schoenberg-district and the Bourg-district. A narrow road also passes through the piers of the bridge, a few meters above the Sarine and facilitates thus the circulation in the Auge-district.
Built between 1832-1834 with a spanning of 273 metres, the pont de Zähringen was for 15 years the longest suspension bridge in the world. It was the pride and joy of the people of Fribourg, and visitors from around the world flocked to see it. The bridge has also been discribe in books and painted by many artists and writers.
For 90 years, motorists drove up and down the pont de Zähringen. That all changed on 12 October 2014 when the bridge became a car-free zone. To cross the town, motorists now take the pont de la Poya. One of the reasons why it was built was to protect the Bourg quarter, Fribourg’s historic centre, from the damage caused by the 25,000 vehicles that passed through it on a daily basis