Bridge over Tebra

Bridge over the river Tebra

Bridge over the river Tebra in 2014

The photo shows Liepājas Street and the former buildings of Aizpute Castle Manor, including the former Castle of the Livonian Order and the beer brewery on the right side, the story about it is placed somewhere else. The Stone Bridge over the Tebra River can also be seen, and it was once in the territory of Castle Manor, because the border between Aizpute town and private Aizpute Castle Manor from 1752 until the Agrarian Reform in 1920 did not go in the middle of Tebra, but on the right bank.

Until 1907, traffic over the river was crossing a wooden bridge. When, after the opening of the Liepāja-Aizpute Railway, it became necessary to replace the old bridge, the new project was ordered by one of the founders and shareholders of the railway joint stock company, Baron Karl Manteuffel of Kazdanga. And in 1907, a continuous boulder vaulted bridge with a segmental opening was built over Tebra. The bridge also got its proper name - Stone Bridge, but Baron Manteuffel immortalized his name in one of the four polished granite slabs - on the inner plate of the north side of the railing in German: “Presented to the town of Aizpute by Manteuffel of Kazdanga”. Engraved on the south side, also in German: “The stone and railings of this bridge were built in MCMVII”. On the outer edge of both railings is the coat of arms of the Manteuffel family.

At the same time, it should be mentioned that according to the agreement concluded in 1752 between the Town Council and the then owner of the Castle Manor Johann Emmerich von Keyserlingk, the road across the river "forever" had to be maintained by the owners of the Castle Manor. That this condition of the contract was strictly fulfilled is evidenced by the annual budget expenditure reports of the town of Aizpute - the Council did not pay for the maintenance, repair or construction of this bridge during the mentioned period, nor in 1907.

In view of the afore mentioned, Manteuffel's gift to the town was purely formal, but undoubtedly significant both then and now.

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