Transforming historic landmark into cutting-edge business hub
In the heart of Lower Saxony, Germany, a series of engineering marvels showcase the country's industrial prowess. From the modern shipyards of Papenburg to the historic Osten-Hemmoor cable-stayed bridge, these landmarks offer a fascinating insight into the country's industrial heritage.
Jörg Ahlfeld, a knowledgeable guide, takes visitors on a tour around the Scharnebeck ship lift, a testament to German engineering from the 1970s. Opened in 1975, the ship lift overcomes a 38-meter height difference between the lower and upper harbor, moving water-filled troughs with ships up or down like an elevator.
Meanwhile, in Brake, J. Müller has built a modern logistics site where not only agricultural products but also wind power and industrial plants are loaded. During a harbor tour, visitors pass by giant silo facilities, the largest cantilever hall in Europe, and see almost 100-meter-long wings for wind turbines. The tour also highlights the pipes transporting water from the Rhine to the abandoned Garzweiler opencast mine, with a diameter of 2.20 meters, which are intended for transport in Brake.
The city that hosts the Meyer Werft shipyard, where the most modern cruise ships are built today, is Papenburg. The Meyer Werft visitor center offers a chance to witness the creation of these modern vessels, with around 3,500 shipyard employees working on them.
The Osten-Hemmoor cable-stayed bridge, still in operation, is the oldest of its kind in Germany, constructed in 1909. Karl-Heinz Brinkmann and four colleagues hold the patent to operate it. Visitors can experience this bridge and learn about its history at the Ferry Inn Cable-Stayed Bridge, located just behind the dyke in Osten.
The bridge in Scharnebeck is part of the German Ferry Road between Bremervörde and Kiel. It can transport up to 40 passengers to the other side per trip. The Lüneburg lock, expected to go into operation by the end of the 2020s, will have a 225-meter-long lock chamber for the largest inland ships. Around 19,000 ships travel on the canal connecting the Elbe and Mittellandkanal every year, and this number could increase with the construction of the Lüneburg lock.
Lastly, the cable-stayed bridge in Osten is one of the eight cable-stayed bridges in the world. These industrial landmarks, each with their unique stories, offer a captivating journey through Germany's rich industrial history.
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