Stone Bridge

The Stone Bridge or Maria Theresia Bridge is a bridge in the center of the city of Roermond. The bridge has four arches and is only accessible to pedestrians and cyclists. In 1348, a bridge over the Roer was first mentioned at this location. Further details about this bridge are lacking. In 1653, there was said to be a bridge made of Namur stone here. However, in 1726, the city of Roermond had two stone kilns built for the construction of a stone bridge. In 1755, this bridge was inspected by the municipal architect of Maastricht, Tilman Keerens. It turned out that the pavement above the second arch, when entering the city, had subsided. By January 1764, the state of the bridge had deteriorated so much that it was decided to completely rebuild it. The new bridge was constructed from Namur stone. The foundation stone was laid on June 17, 1771. The first stone, with the inscription "Neoconditus," was, according to the Chronicle of Roermond, 11 by 11 inches and was placed in the center of the last pillar on the other side. Maria Theresia donated the bridge to the city. The new bridge is equipped with icebreakers, and because there was still mention of shipping on the Roer in 1771, the middle arches are higher than the outer ones.

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