Picture of the Day: Bastei Bridge, Germany

 

 

 

In this beautiful photo by Thomas Wolf, we see the Bastei Bridge, situated above the Elbe River in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains of Germany. The Bastei rock formation towers 194 meters (636 ft) above the river and is a major landmark of the Saxon Switzerland National Park.

The original bridge, constructed in 1824, was made of wood but was replaced 27 years later in 1851 by the present bridge made of sandstone. It is 76.5 meters (251 ft) long and its seven arches span a ravine 40 meters (131 ft) deep. The spa town of Rathen is the main base for visiting the Bastei; the town can be reached from Dresden by paddle steamer on the river Elbe. [source]