Marko Feingold Footbridge and River Crossing

Why is it significant?

Step onto the gently flexing pedestrian walkway of the Marko Feingold Footbridge and listen to the swift rush of the emerald Salzach River below. Completed in 2001 as the Makartsteg, this sweeping steel suspension bridge links the right bank directly with the Old Town.

Key Facts

Open the walk

Step onto the gently flexing pedestrian walkway of the Marko Feingold Footbridge and listen to the swift rush of the emerald Salzach River below. Completed in 2001 as the Makartsteg, this sweeping steel suspension bridge links the right bank directly with the Old Town. Clustered along the stainless-steel mesh parapets, thousands of colorful engraved padlocks glint in the sunlight, left by sweethearts pledging eternal love.

In 2020, the city of Salzburg renamed the bridge in honor of Marko Feingold, who passed away at the extraordinary age of one hundred and six. Feingold survived four Nazi concentration camps, including Auschwitz and Dachau, and dedicated his post-war life to reconciliation as president of Salzburg's Jewish Community. The bridge stands as a powerful public memorial to moral courage, tolerance, and human survival.

From mid-span, enjoy a magnificent unobstructed panorama of Hohensalzburg Fortress towering above the domes and medieval rooflines of the city. The river Salzach, deriving its name from the alpine salt transported on its currents, served as the commercial highway fueling Salzburg's prosperity for a millennium. Flat-bottomed wooden boats once navigated these turbulent waters carrying white gold downstream to Bavarian and Austrian markets. The intricately crafted facade details and historic masonry continue to captivate historians and travelers alike. A thoughtful walk through these historic alleys reveals how masterfully Salzburg preserved its rich architectural heritage across centuries.

Due to the immense weight of the accumulating love locks, municipal maintenance teams periodically inspect and reinforce the suspension cables to protect structural integrity. Yet this romantic custom has become an indelible modern symbol of Salzburg's warm cosmopolitan spirit. Travelers of all ages love pausing here to watch the sun slip behind the mountains. Generations of Salzburg citizens have shaped this extraordinary site and passed its inspiring stories down to posterity. Throughout the neighboring streets, one can immediately sense the vibrant harmony between baroque tradition and cosmopolitan culture.

Cross to the right bank and follow the riverside pathway downstream along the Franz-Josefs-Kai promenade.