About the place

This unique piece of engineering heritage is also an important historic landmark. The hand-operated metal swing bridge over the castle-site canal was built in 1855 and is the only mechanism of its kind in Lithuania. Made of riveted iron and decorated with chains, it was known before the Second World War as the “Chain Bridge” (German: Kettenbrücke). The bridge is still turned manually: two people rotate it so that vessels can pass through the channel into the former moat of Klaipėda Castle. The site bears the maritime heritage symbol, which marks buildings, former building sites, quays, paths, vessels and other objects connected with maritime history. In 2010, a 2.4-metre bronze sculpture, “The Black Ghost”, was ceremonially unveiled beside the bridge. It was inspired by the legend “The Black Man of Memel”, recorded by Caspar Hennenberg in the late 16th century.