Magdeburg Water Bridge

The Magdeburg Water Bridge is a large navigable aqueduct in central Germany, located near Magdeburg. It is the largest canal underbridge in Europe with a total length of 918 metres (3,012 ft), with 228 metres (748 ft) of that over water. The bridge’s width is 34 metres (112 ft). The water depth is 4.25 metres (13.9 ft). The clearance below is 90 × 6.25 metres (295 × 20 ft).

The Magdeburg Water Bridge spans the river Elbe and directly connects two water-bodies (the Mittellandkanal to the west and Elbe-Havel Canal to the east of the river) not just by concrete but by water itself. The bridge allows large commercial ships to pass between the Rhineland and Berlin without having to descend into and then climb out of the Elbe itself.

A wonder of science and testament to German engineering, the supports on the bridge always have the same forces pushing on them, allowing the bridge to carry all of that water and any crossing boats. The length of the bridge helps to control the water displacement so there isn’t any major splashing happening.

The Magdeburg Water Bridge was featured in the motion picture Hanna.

Note, there are also other water bridges in Germany that are available for film projects, including Minden Aqueduct.

Film Permits

Small shoots are easier to permit. Drone footage is possible and small cameras can be set up on the two built-in pedestrian ways on either side of the canal, providing you are not disrupting other visitor’s use of the area.

Larger projects looking to gain greater control of the location are possible but will require permission from several authorities and a longer permitting period of around 3-4 weeks. Location fees may also apply based on usage and compensation for lost visitor revenue. Although if your project has a promotional value some of these costs may be offset or waived altogether. Blocking or rerouting ship traffic is much more expensive and difficult, so it’s best to plan your shoot around that schedule. If using a speedboat for a chase scene or stunts, the shots will need to be adjusted so as not to create any undue risk to the 500 million Euro structure, or to the safety of those around.

German Production Support & Film Crew