The Malaga Santa Domingo bridge is usually called the German bridge and for a very good reason.The bridge was funded and built by the German people and was handed over to the city of Malaga 100 years ago on December 16 1909.
However the story begins nine years before when a number of German sailors were rescued by the people of Malaga when the ship they were in ran aground off the coast of Malaga.The ship was the Gneisenau and it was part of the Imperial German Navy fleet.Her steam engines failed in the storm and she was grounded on a reef.The people of Malaga went into that sea in an attempt to save as many sailors as possible before the ship sank.A number of people lost their lives but many were saved.
In 1907 Malaga suffered terrible flooding when the River Guadalmedina burst its banks and the force of the water washed away the Santa Domingo bridge amongst others.People lost their lives and property was devastated.
A number of German sailors had remained in Malaga and they started a fund after the flood to build the Santa Domingo bridge once again.The money was found rom many sources ,including the Emperor William II and his ministers.The bridge was built and handed over to the city on December 16 1909.
