The mysterious route 46: Bavaria's forgotten motorway ruins

The mysterious route 46: Bavaria's forgotten motorway ruins

Who doesn't remember the great visions of the past? A particularly exciting chapter can be found in Bavaria, where the unfinished “Route 46” between Fulda and Würzburg has been telling stories for decades. This highway ruin, an echo of the Third Reich era, embodies a powerful piece of history that still raises questions today. Loud Mercury The construction was started in 1937, but only three years later the work was stopped due to the Second World War. Since then, the remains have been preserved as the longest historic motorway ruins in Germany.

“Route 46” itself stretches over an impressive 32 kilometers. Originally planned as part of the Reichsautobahn, “autobahn hikers” were supposed to experience nature up close. But tragically, the war thwarted these plans. The materials and labor were urgently needed elsewhere, which brought the construction project to a standstill. As early as 1940 it was clear: the dream of this transport connection was over, and the remains of the route became visible in the landscape from then on, often hidden in lonely forests.

A forgotten highway

After the war, the original plans were immediately shelved and new routes were also considered. The political geography had changed and the route planning of “Route 46” was considered obsolete. Today, fragments of the almost completed highway contours, bridges and bridge piers remind us of the lost vision. Some of these unfinished buildings have been listed since 2003, as an interesting overview Wikipedia shows.

A particularly impressive structure in the Schulruh district, which spans a district road, offers a breathtaking view from 395 m above sea level. Another interesting detail is that the largest of the two unfinished pillars in Gräfendorf now serves as a climbing rock for alpinists. Such niches of forgetting are not only places of peace, but also evidence of a time full of challenges.

The role of the Reich highways

But how does “Route 46” fit into the larger context of motorway development in Germany? The Reichsautobahnen, as they were called at the time, represented a significant infrastructure contract that began as early as the Weimar Republic. After 1933, when the National Socialists came to power, construction accelerated even more. These highways were intended to serve not only as transportation routes, but also as propaganda tools for the Nazi regime to combat mass unemployment and promote pride in the nation. The beginnings of the motorway network can be traced back to the first motorway-like expressway, the AVUS in Berlin, whose construction began in 1913, as in one Article on Wikipedia can be read.

The unwanted isolation of “Route 46” creates a special attraction today. A look at the route shows how nature has reclaimed its space and the buildings are woven into the landscape. A video on the wege46.de website even allows a virtual flight over this piece of past plans. Even if the roads were never used, the memory of the great visions lives on.

But what remains of such plans that were overshadowed by horror and war? An exciting place of history that makes you think and is not only important for technology lovers and history buffs.