The Oberbaum bridge was built on the site of a former wooden crossing that linked Berlin with suburban villages providing the German capital with agricultural products. The old bridge was the longest in the city, it was a drawbridge with a gate, which was closed at night to prevent the smuggling of goods. However, with the increase in Berlin’s population the bridge was not enough to meet the needs of the residents and for that reason a new bridge was built in the years 1894-1896. The new structure has two levels – one for pedestrians, the second for cars and rail – the U-Bahn trains travel above the heads of pedestrians. The name Oberbaum means "over the wooden piles" and refers to the first years of the crossing, when it stemmed from the remnants of the old wooden bridge protruding from the water.
