Flood ditch between valley junction and promenade deck

The stretch between the valley junction and the promenade deck is probably largely familiar to Erfurters. Quite a few people even travel the route on Stauffenbergallee, one of the busiest streets in the city, every day. The fact that the flood ditch runs parallel to it to keep excess water away from the old town - well: would you have known? And the next question: Have you ever walked there?

We do. There are not many places in Erfurt that feel as if they are completely disconnected from their surroundings. The flood ditch flows through the middle of the city, but there is no “official” route to it. Mostly there are trails

to the bank of the river, where on the southwest side there is a - exactly: footpath.

Anyone who walks along this from the valley junction towards the panorama deck will quickly come across the history of this place. The outer city wall protected Erfurt until the city of Erfurt was weakened, which began with the founding of the German Empire in 1871. Remnants of these are still there:

The wall and towers mostly disappeared at that time and the flood ditch was built in front of it. A functional building, created to function.

And that is the fate of this part of Erfurt's city history to this day. Nice bridges lead over the ditch,

but underneath it remains rather dreary. This is not a place intended to please the citizens. Enter at your own risk, if at all.

But does it have to stay that way? Of course, a city can also have purely “functional corners”. These even have a good property: Where everything is not optimized for the well-being of the human inhabitants, there is room for others:

Nevertheless, when looking at this path between the valley junction and the promenade deck, the thought arises: Is there more possible?

A promenade path to the promenade deck perhaps?

A cycle path that connects the north of Erfurt with the south?

Cozy places by the river?

Let's see what else is going on at the flood ditch between the valley junction and the promenade deck.