The preservation and continued use of historical arch bridges are of particular relevance, as they constitute a substantial proportion of the existing bridge stock in Germany and are of both infrastructural and cultural significance. To develop standardized methods for assessing these existing structures, a series of load tests has been carried out. This work establishes the requirements for selected bridges, validates the applied measurement concepts, and outlines the corresponding test design and procedures. As a result, the evaluation of static load positions demonstrates the remarkable robustness of these structures, characterized by an elastic load-bearing behavior under service loads and an effective distribution of loads across the entire cross-section, even in the presence of damage. Besides, a comparison of different structures reveals the significant influence of filling on the displacement behavior, whereas the impact of subsoil-structure interaction proves to be minor, even after long-term service. Furthermore, the results underscore conservative assumptions in current recalculations standards, particularly concerning the effective cross-section and the consideration of the spandrel walls in the structural assessment.