The former Bridge gate is the last of the 5 town gates and one of the 3 main gates of the town. Through the gate led the Salt Road, one of 2 important medieval trade routes that crossed in Tennstedt.

According to a copperplate engraving by Merian, the bridge gate was originally a square gate tower with a pointed dome and platform with battlement and tower crown. With the completion of the gate in 1483, Tennstedt's oldest gate armorial stone was inserted. Presumably, the coat of arms stone was placed centrally above the gate. This arrangement was found in the Langensalza gate and is still preserved today in the Osthöfer gate.

On March 3, 1636, the Swedes invaded Tennstedt for the first time during the 30 Years War, looting and pillaging. The bridge gate also fell victim to this onslaught. After the plundering of the town, the gate was walled up by order of the town council. On April 12, 1640, the Swedes came from the north and smashed the gate. Tennstedt was plundered again, whereupon the gate was walled up again in 1641. Numerous complaints of the local farmers led to the reopening of the gate. After the winter tilling of the fields was completed, the gate was walled up again. On May 24 of the following year, the gate was permanently opened on the order of the council.

In 1643, a man-high wall was placed on both sides of the gate entrance from the north, which could be closed with a gate. Around 1850, the bridge gate was demolished because of the new construction of Brückenstraße. In place of the gate, similar to the Langensalza gate, two neo-Gothic gate piers with battlement were erected. Likewise, the man-high walls were replaced by lower ones to protect the pedestrians. The gate coat of arms was given a new place and was placed in the area of the left pillar next to the passage gate. When the bridge over the Klunkerbach was rebuilt in the 70s of the last century, the right pillar and the walls were removed.

The left pillar with a passage and a coat of arms stone has been preserved until today. On the town side of the tower there is a so-called "bulletin board". Until well into the 1980s, notices were posted on the bulletin board in which the city administration informed the population about important matters.