Hamburgs Köhlbrandbrücke: Geschichte eines Wahrzeichens

What does “Wahrzeichen” mean in German?

In this clip, the bridge gives Hamburg “ein ikonisches Wahrzeichen” — an iconic landmark. A “Wahrzeichen” is a building, bridge, or monument so famous that it stands for the whole city. People coming from the south, the speaker says, see this bridge first, and it shapes their picture of Hamburg. So when you hear “Wahrzeichen,” picture the one sight a place is truly known for.

Spoken in the clip: “Hamburg bekam mit der Köhlbrandbrücke ein ikonisches Wahrzeichen.” — “Hamburg got an iconic landmark with the Köhlbrand Bridge.” The word puts together “wahr” (true/real) and “Zeichen” (sign), so it means the “true sign” of a place. More examples: “Der Eiffelturm ist das Wahrzeichen von Paris.” (The Eiffel Tower is the landmark of Paris.) “Das Brandenburger Tor ist ein Wahrzeichen Berlins.” (The Brandenburg Gate is a landmark of Berlin.) “Diese Kirche ist das Wahrzeichen der Stadt.” (This church is the town’s landmark.) Usage notes: Germans use it for famous buildings, bridges, or monuments that you connect with one city. The first part sounds like “var,” and the “-en” ending is a weak e sound.