Until the 19th century the Rhine, the most important European river, which is wreathed in myths and legends and has inspired poetry and music like no other, was crossed almost exclusively by means of ferries. With the onset of industrialization, more and more goods had to be transported increasingly rapidly. Today, over 250 bridges cross the river. They too now shape the unsurpassed diversity of the Rhine landscape.

Since 1987, Riehle has photographed some 150 Rhine bridges from the river’s headwaters in Switzerland to the Rhine’s delta in the Netherlands. The most interesting 100 bridges are published in this book.