Santo Domingo Bridge, popularly known as the Bridge of the Germans, has its origin in the gift to the city of Málaga made by the German people in gratitude for the people's help when the German vessel, the Gneisenau, was wrecked.
It is a steel bridge and was built in 1909. It was moved in 1992 to ensure it formed an angle of 90° with regard to the Santo Domingo Church.
The story goes back to December 1900 when a storm wrecked the German frigate Gneisenau. Many residents came to the rescue of the sailors and some of the rescuers lost their lives in the attempt. This heroic episode earned the city the title of "Very Hospitable", a slogan that appears on the city's coat of arms.
Years later, in 1907, the Guadalmedina river overflowed its banks washing away the bridges. On hearing this news, the German people decided to return the favour and started popular collections to build the "Bridge of the Germans."
A plaque reads: “Alemania donó a Málaga este puente agradecida al heroico auxilio que la ciudad prestó a los náufragos de la fragata de guerra Gneisenau". (Germany donated this bridge to Málaga in gratitude for its heroic assistance to the shipwrecked sailors of the German war frigate Gneisenau.)
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