Bridge Plan Threatens Dresden's Heritage Status

The German city of Dresden was flattened by U.S. and British bombers in the final days of World War II. The city has regained some of its splendor, thanks to the restoration and reconstruction of its baroque architectural masterpieces.

The Elbe River Valley that runs through the city was declared a U.N. World Heritage site. But now, a new road bridge being built across the river is threatening that status.

Looking across the river to the famous meadows on the other side, a viewer sees the baroque Semper Opera on the left. Behind is the 18th century Zwinger palace; on the right, Dresden's 250-year-old cathedral. Four years ago, the United Nations' cultural body, UNESCO, added the city's vista to its World Heritage List.

But that status may be revoked if a planned four-lane steel bridge, now under construction, is completed. The bridge's proponents say it'll relieve traffic congestion and improve links between the two halves of the city. UNESCO says it will spoil the landscape.

"This is against the integrity and authenticity of this valley. They have to stop this bridge at once," said Michael Petzet, who advises UNESCO on World Heritage matters. "Otherwise, I'm nearly sure the cultural landscape, Elbe Valley, will be deleted from the World Heritage list."

It would be only the second time UNESCO has ever taken a site off its list.

Opponents have tried several ways to keep the bridge from going up — some of which have turned violent. In December, environmentalists climbed into a beech tree that was scheduled to be cut down, until police forcibly removed them.

Then, the fate of the lesser horseshoe bat delayed construction for a while. Now that the courts have allowed construction to begin again, some of the building equipment has been vandalized.

But some commuters don't have much sympathy for the protesters. Janet Katzer, who drives to her job at a Dresden law firm, says the new bridge would cut her commute time in half. Today, it takes her 43 minutes to drive six miles. She says most of her fellow citizens voted in favor of the bridge in a 2005 referendum. And she's not that concerned about what UNESCO might do.

"Do you think many people knew before that Dresden was on the World Heritage list? No," Katzer said. "Tourists are still going to come to see the old architecture, even without that title."

Dresden's tourist office says only a very small number of visitors even know about the city's World Heritage status. But opponents might have a stronger argument about the supposed benefits of the bridge in relieving traffic congestion.

As in most eastern Germany cities, many Dresden residents are moving to the west in search of better jobs. Traffic in the city has decreased by 10 percent since the year 2000, and it is likely to continue to fall.

Architecture professor Ralf Weber says he has an alternative. He has gathered 54,000 signatures to support building a tunnel under the river, instead of a bridge. But he admits it's an uphill battle to prevent what he says would be a real blow to his hometown.

"We would be considered a little provincial city that doesn't take care of what we have inherited from our ancestors," Weber said. "I think it would be a spiritual loss."

The issue of Dresden's bridge is still working its way through the courts, even though construction continues. UNESCO is scheduled to decide on the World Heritage question in July.

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