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gradually been filled with sand and refuse. After the channel was established, the upper portion of the Balge was known as “Klosterbalge” and the lower part, “Grosse Balge”. In order to improve the city's defences, the channel into the upper portion of the Balge was closed, making it impossible to be penetrated by enemy forces. The “Klosterbalge” became a dead end, receiving rain and waste water only from the adjacent buildings. But at that time, the “Grosse Balge” was still used by ships. In 1399, the council of Bremen ruled in a decree called “Balgeverordnung” that so-called “Eken” (flat river boats made of oak with a width of approximately 1,50 meters and a length between 3,50 to 10 meters) could no longer moor in the Balge for more than three days and three nights as they would otherwise present an obstacle to boat traffic. In 1602, the Balge was closed to boats. In 1608, a channel with a width of 4.6 m (15 ft) was established specifically for drainage. In 1819, the
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146:, one of the city's oldest streets and one of the most important streets for the city's merchants, no doubt originated at the time when one of the first settlements grew up on the right bank of the Balge. In 13th century sea vessels became too large for the Balge. On the bank of main Weser river a new quay was built, called
261:
From 1990/1991 onwards, the original route of the Balge was indicated in several parts of the old town by means of bronze plaques and by a different kind of paving. This was done on the recommendation of
Senator Harald Lucht, head of cadastral services (today GeoInformation Bremen). The Balge appears
141:
When the diocese of Bremen was founded in the 8th century, the site for cathedral and bishop's residence was chosen at the point of contact of the two most important geographical features of the area: the Weser and the “Bremer Düne” (Bremen Dune). The Weser opened the way to the long distance trade
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decided that the Balge should be filled in over its entire length and that it should be replaced by a waste water channel 1.20 m (3 ft 11 in) in width. As a result of formal objections relating to specific rights and competing interests of the Balge residents, work was not completed
182:
In the 13th century after the Balge had already ceased to serve as a harbour for larger ships (which were moored instead at the
Schlachte), an artificial channel was constructed between the Balge and the Weser, designed to improve the flow of water between the two rivers. Until then, the Balge had
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and
Wachtstrasse. Evidence of an even older structure was found: a bank reinforcement made from piles and wickerwork, presumably built before the 10th century. The other structures consisting of stone and brick are assumed to have been made in medieval or late medieval times (between 11th and 15th
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In the beginning of 2008, there were excavations on
Bredenplatz, at the corner of Bredenstrasse and Martinistrasse, where a new hotel was to be built. They revealed the remains of the Balge river bank reinforcements, dated to around the year 1000. The structure consisted of wood piles, horizontal
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50 m Ă— 40 m (160 ft Ă— 130 ft). There was also a river boat from the 9th century. From the 9th century onwards, the terrain changed significantly, partly as a result of floods which brought sand into the area, partly through increased human settlement. Gradually, the
100:
was founded, the low-lying land around Bremen was swampy with several islands formed by the Weser and its branches. In 1988/1989 construction work involving excavations at the corner of
Martinistrasse and Wachtstrasse revealed three small waterway channels from around the year 800 in an area of
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While the Balge had originally been quite wide, it narrowed over time as a result of buildings constructed on its banks as the city developed combined with changes in the river network and silting. In late medieval times, the width of the Balge had been reduced to some 20 m (66 ft).
150:. Since then the importance of the old Balge harbour decreased. Nevertheless, both harbours were used until the 16th century, the Schlachte for sea-going ships and the Balge for flat-bottomed vessels and river barges. Finally in 1602, the Balge was closed for traffic of boats.
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routes while the Dune offered protection against floods and enemy attacks. Bremen's first harbour was located along the north bank of the Balge. It is assumed that ships moored on both sides of the Balge, over a stretch of several hundred metres. The
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The Balge, together with the Kleine Weser (Little Weser), was one such branch. The theory that the Balge might at some time have been the main stream of the Weser has never been proven. Originally, the Balge left the Weser at
165:, were found. The dolphins were made from oak piles tied together with iron rings in groups of three. Similar discoveries had already been made in 1909 at the corner of Marktplatz and Langenstrasse and in 1862 near the
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enabling ships and boats to sail past even if the water level was high. All the bridges continued to be exist until the end of the 18th century. They were gradually dismantled after the Balge was filled in.
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as a narrow channel from the 18th century, at the
Schlachte, at the StintbrĂĽcke, at the Wachtstrasse and at the BalgebrĂĽckstrasse where the junction between Grosse Balge and Klosterbalge is indicated.
88:, it significantly contributed to Bremen's development as a port. The river gradually narrowed until in 1608, it was canalised. In 1838, it was completely filled with earth.
153:
The Balge's banks were subsequently reinforced in several stages. When excavations were carried out in 1970 at the
Bankhaus Neelmeyer (close to where the
661:
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It is assumed that there was another bridge crossing the Balge at the point where it was connected to the Weser river at the second
Schlachtpforte.
334:. The bank reinforcement of the Klosterbalge was investigated which, like the Grosse Balge, had served as an underground waste water channel.
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The GroĂźe
StintbrĂĽcke (mentioned in documents as Pontis Piscium from 1261). It crossed the Balge from the south-east corner of the Marktplatz.
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centuries). The market place probably stems for its role as a harbour-side market, with ships mooring along its south bank.
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Mit Koggen zum
Marktplatz – Bremens Hafenstrukturen vom frühen Mittelalter bis zum Beginn der Industrialisierung
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Jürgen Hinrichs and Dieter Bischop, Bremer Landesarchäologe (5 January 2008). "Bremen gräbt seine Wurzeln aus".
113:. In a bend stretching over some 650 m (2,130 ft), it ran almost parallel to the main river along the
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The Balge in the 13th century. It flowed around the districts of Martini and Tiefer, flanking the Market Square
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StintbrĂĽcke: leads from the corner of Langenstrasse / Marktplatz to the Bredenstrasse, passing the SchĂĽtting
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Otherwise it would not have been possible to erect the SchĂĽtting where there had once been a river bed.
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before rejoining it and opening up like a funnel at the “Zweite Schlachtpforte”. The island between the
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districts. Originally, the width of the Balge varied from about 30 to 50 m (98 to 164 ft).
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Die Stadt und ihr Markt: Bremens Umlands- und Aussenbeziehungen im Mittelalter (12.-15. Jahrhundert)
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tavern, in memory of the Balge. A nearby plaque explains the history of the Balge and a
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In addition, several street names are reminiscent of the Balge and its original route:
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boards and wicker work. Findings also included objects lost in mud, including a silver
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The BalgebrĂĽcke was the connection between the two parts of the BalgebrĂĽckstrasse.
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117:. It became separated from the Weser by some 200 m (660 ft) at the
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until 1838 when the Balge completely disappeared from the City of Bremen.
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620:, 13 February 2009, page 11, and in the television broadcast
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Hinter der Balge: a narrow street branching off from the Marterburg in
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A bridge crossed the Klosterbalge at St. Victors Staven at the Tiefer.
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Margot Walther (6 March 1991). "Den FluĂź mit Stein "gezeichnet"".
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Indication of the previous course of the Balge at the Stint bridge
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A stone bridge served as a link for both ends of the Wachtstrasse.
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The Kleine StintbrĂĽcke connected Hankenstrasse and Bredenstrasse.
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Gefundene Vergangenheit – Archäologie des Mittelalters in Bremen
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on its eastern side, running through what is now the centre of
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GrundriĂź der Kaiserl. Freien Reichs und Handels Stadt Bremen
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was erected in the street Hinter dem SchĂĽtting, near the
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From medieval times, several bridges crossed the Balge:
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means “flowing body of water”, “waterway” or “trench”.
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In 2009, repair work took place in the Schifferhaus
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The Hohe BrĂĽcke crossed the vlootgote at the Tiefer.
76:(also known as the Balje) was a short branch of the
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218:The SchĂĽttingbrĂĽcke crossed the Balge as part of
565:by C. L. Murtfeldt from the year 1796
592:, Wikimedia commons, retrieved 17 January 2014
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105:and the river's minor branches disappeared.
663:Die Balge – Bremens mittelalterlicher Hafen
445:. Landesarchäologie Bremen. pp. 431–.
272:BalgebrĂĽckstrasse: connects Domsheide with
319:(a coin from Cologne), a dagger, a silver
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84:. As it served as a harbour in the early
626:, 12 February 2009 at 19:45 hours.
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472:. Franz Steiner Verlag. pp. 77–.
125:and the Weser covered roughly today's
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666:. Verlag Max Schmidt-Römhild, Lübeck.
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174:Medieval and late medieval period
296:Bankhaus Carl F. Plump & Co.
671:Schwarzwälder, Herbert (2003).
1:
696:. Hauschild Verlag, Bremen.
645:. Hauschild Verlag, Bremen.
641:Dillschneider, Karl (1992).
306:code links to this article.
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692:Weidinger, Ulrich (1997).
677:. Edition Temmen, Bremen.
660:PrĂĽser, Friedrich (1953).
229:The bridges were probably
332:Shipper's House in Bremen
254:Statue “Fietje Balge” by
722:Rivers of Bremen (state)
674:Das GroĂźe Bremen-Lexikon
344:List of rivers of Bremen
561:Documented in the map
441:Rech, Manfred (2004).
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606:. Bremen. p. 11.
466:Hill, Thomas (2004).
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96:At the time when the
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18:Balge (Arm der Weser)
137:First port of Bremen
404:, p. 60 (A–K).
294:donated in 2007 by
286:A bronze sculpture
623:buten & binnen
590:Plaque about Balge
526:Dillschneider 1992
514:Dillschneider 1992
431:, p. 110–117.
402:Schwarzwälder 2003
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248:
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732:Rivers of Germany
479:978-3-515-08068-2
327:made from bones.
92:Early Middle Ages
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256:Bernd Altenstein
185:Senate of Bremen
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727:Weser basin
643:Der Schnoor
550:PrĂĽser 1953
538:PrĂĽser 1953
231:drawbridges
115:Bremer DĂĽne
86:Middle Ages
716:Categories
616:Report in
375:Low German
350:References
325:ice skates
159:Marktplatz
157:joins the
119:Marktplatz
579:. Bremen.
355:Footnotes
167:SchĂĽtting
148:Schlachte
123:Schlachte
111:Altenwall
338:See also
317:denarius
163:dolphins
53:Location
38:Location
304:QRpedia
281:Schnoor
276:-BrĂĽcke
192:Bridges
127:Martini
103:marshes
98:diocese
47:Germany
43:Country
700:
681:
649:
476:
449:
321:fibula
131:Tiefer
82:Bremen
57:Bremen
372:Balje
368:Balge
78:Weser
74:Balge
33:Balge
698:ISBN
679:ISBN
647:ISBN
474:ISBN
447:ISBN
129:and
72:The
370:or
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409:^
394:^
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687:.
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222:.
20:)
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