The first Heidelberg bridge was built by Karl Theodor (1742-1799), which explains it's official name "Karl-Theodor-Brücke". The double-armed bridge gate comes from the late middle ages. The towers served the bridge keeper not only as an apartment, but also as a dungeon for prisoners. In 1945 both rooms above the gateway were refurbished as artistic apartments.

The two towers at the southern end of the bridge, called the Brückentor (Bridge gate) can be seen here.