The A1 Autobahn, Germany's lengthiest motorway, terminates in Bavaria, positioning it as the second longest in Europe.
The A7 Motorway: Germany's Longest Autobahn Connecting North to South
The A7 motorway is a significant and historic route in Germany, stretching from the Danish border in the north to the Austrian border in the south. This 962-kilometer-long autobahn, one of the oldest long-distance roads of its kind, traverses seven federal states, making it the longest autobahn in the country.
The A7 motorway's journey begins at Ellund, the German-Danish border near Flensburg in the north. It passes through Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg (a city-state), Lower Saxony, Bremen (another city-state), North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse, and Bavaria before ending at Füssen, near the German-Austrian border.
The A7 motorway offers more than just a means of transportation; it also provides a variety of scenic attractions along its route. Drivers can enjoy the Lüneburg Heath, the Harz, the Weser Uplands, the Rhön and Alb, the Main Valley, and the Danube lowlands before reaching their destination.
The idea for a north-south connection through Germany, which corresponds to the A7 today, emerged as early as the 1920s. The association "Association for the Construction of a Road for Motor Vehicle Rapid Traffic from Hamburg via Frankfurt am Main to Basel" (HaFraBa) developed initial plans for this route. The first section of the A7 motorway was put into operation in 1937 between Kassel and Göttingen.
The A7 motorway is not only a major traffic artery but also a symbol of German engineering and planning. Upon arrival in the south, the A7 motorway ends in Füssen in the Allgäu before crossing the German-Austrian border.
As the A7 motorway lies between two countries, it plays a crucial role in connecting the furthest north with the furthest south of the Federal Republic. One of the most notable landmarks along the A7 is the Elbtunnel, a section of the motorway in Hamburg, which was opened in 1975 and was once referred to as a "century-old structure" by the North Germans.
In conclusion, the A7 motorway is a testament to German ingenuity and planning, connecting the country from north to south while offering scenic attractions along the way. For countless people, it serves as a major traffic artery, making travel between the north and south of Germany more efficient and enjoyable.
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