The German emperor, William II, left a legacy of many wonderful architectural and artistic creations that are tourist attractions for the visitor to the island. The history of Corfu was enriched by him, with his love of the endless beauty of nature and landscapes and his contributions to it.
The creation and the name of the bridge
Kaiser Wilhelm II fell in love with the natural beauty of Corfu and bought the Achilleion Palace, as his summer residence, in 1907. He appointed Carl Ludwig Sprenger as the horticulturalist for the palace. Sprenger was also responsible for the construction of the bridge that led from the palace to the Kaiser’s favourite beach. The purpose of the bridge was to give Wilhelm, via a pathway through his verdant palace garden, direct access to the nearby beach and sea.
The creation and the name of the bridge
Kaiser Wilhelm II fell in love with the natural beauty of Corfu and bought the Achilleion Palace, as his summer residence, in 1907. He appointed Carl Ludwig Sprenger as the horticulturalist for the palace. Sprenger was also responsible for the construction of the bridge that led from the palace to the Kaiser’s favourite beach. The purpose of the bridge was to give Wilhelm, via a pathway through his verdant palace garden, direct access to the nearby beach and sea.
The bridge was named, and is widely known to this day, as the Kaiser Bridge. The creation of the bridge was innovative and useful, as the alternative route, at that time, by way of the main intermediate road, was quite time consuming.
For some it may be seen as a display of imperial vanity. It was however, also prestigious in the past and immediately gave the island of Corfu additional points of reference and tourist interest.
Today it is a landmark for the island of Corfu with great historical architectural significance, although unfortunately we cannot see it in its previous form, as the middle
section was blown up by the German Wehrmacht during World War II, so as not to impede the passage of their military vehicles. So now we can admire only a part of it
and cross the part that leads to the wonderful view of the sea.
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