Alter Kran — Attraction in Trier

It’s worth to visit ably if you’re close by. The Alter Kranen (literally “Old Crane”) is a historic harbor crane located on the Moselle River. It was built in 1773, during the time of the Electorate of Trier, and served as a mechanical loading crane for more than a century.

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🛶 Why Was It Built?

During the 18th century, Trier was a busy river port. The Moselle River was a major trade route, and goods like: • wine, • wood, • stones, • and construction materials

were transported by barges and cargo ships. The manual unloading and loading of goods was slow and labor-intensive.

To boost efficiency, the Elector Clemens Wenceslaus of Saxony ordered the construction of a rotating crane, which could mechanically lift cargo using a human-powered treadwheel inside the structure.

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🔩 How Did It Work? • The crane was powered by two large treadwheels, similar to giant hamster wheels, turned by workers walking inside. • It used a rotating boom and pulley system to lift and swing heavy cargo between the ships and the shore. • This was considered state-of-the-art technology at the time.

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🏗️ Legacy and Preservation • The crane was in regular use until the early 20th century, after which more modern loading methods took over. • Today, it stands as a monument to Trier’s commercial and industrial past. • While no longer functional, the crane structure has been preserved and restored, and is one of the few historical harbor cranes still...

The place will be totally renovated. The street along was absolutely dangerous to walk or ride. Now they are making the street new and it really is a nice place to be and also very important piece of history of the river Mosel and Trier Economy....

The Old Crane is located on the banks of the Moselle River and was used for many centuries to load and unload cargo from ships. Today, it is a popular tourist attraction and a symbol of the city's...