The original structure was constructed after plans by Karl Bernhard, a German architect and engineer, and it was opened in 1904.

The elaborate design included a steel arch and monumental features like a lighthouse and grand stairways.

[1][2] It was widened in 1934 to accommodate the larger numbers of vehicles passing over the river Spree, resulting in the loss of some of the architectural elements of the first design.

In World War II, Wehrmacht troops destroyed the structure to hinder the Red Army from entering Berlin.

While creating a lasting obstacle for river traffic in the following years, the destruction of the bridge did not keep the Soviet forces from capturing the city.