Starý most (Bratislava)
Starý most (English: Old Bridge) was a bridge over the river Danube in Bratislava, Slovakia. The 460 meter long bridge included a wooden pathway for pedestrians, a two-lane road and railway track, connecting the historic old city of Bratislava with the newer region Petržalka. The bridge was closed for cars in 2009 and for buses on 14 May 2010. On 2 December 2013 it was also closed for pedestrian and bicycle traffic because deconstruction of the bridge began the last week of November. At the time of its closure it was the oldest still-standing bridge in Bratislava.
As of December 2015[update], the bridge has been replaced by a new bridge, which will serve pedestrians, cyclists and trams starting in early 2016.
At various times in the past, the bridge was called Most Červenej armády (i.e. Red Army Bridge), Štefánikov most, Ferenc József híd and Franz Josef Brücke.
History
Aside from short-lived wooden bridges before the 19th century, which were often damaged or destroyed by floods and frost, the first bridge in Bratislava was a pontoon bridge, which was built in 1825, standing somewhere around Koronázási domb tér or Krönungshügel platz (today's Ľudovít Štúr square). It lasted until 1891, when a new steel bridge called Franz Josephs Brücke (Franz Joseph Bridge), was opened, which was part of the railroad track Bratislava-Szombathely. It was built by Gábor Baross' order. During the first Czechoslovak republic (1918 - 1938) it was called Štefánikov most (Štefánik Bridge). During World War II the steel part of the bridge was destroyed, but the stone pillars survived. After the liberation of Bratislava by Soviet troops in 1945, the Red Army and German prisoners-of-war rebuilt the bridge.
Car-Free Future
On January 1, 2009 city of Bratislava closed the bridge to motor vehicles except buses because of problems with statics[1] and on May 15, 2010 also for buses, pedestrians and cyclists.[2] Bridge was reopened to cyclist and pedestrians few months later after road for cars was removed and remained opened until 8:00 AM on 2 December 2013 when it was closed for all traffic again due to its deconstruction which started in late November 2013.
The bridge is to be replaced by a new one for pedestrians, cyclists and trams, as part of new tram track to Petržalka. The old toll houses on both sides (one now serving as a restaurant, another as a museum) will be retained.
As of late October 2015, the replacement bridge[3] now stretches to both banks of the Danube. When it reopens, it is proposed that it will once again be re-named to reflect its history and relevance to the Slovak nation.
References
- ↑ http://bratislava.sme.sk/c/4183447/stary-most-od-januara-uzavru-pre-auta.html
- ↑ http://bratislava.sme.sk/c/5374159/stary-most-sa-rozpadava-uzavru-ho.html
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/starymostbratislava
http://www.mostynaslovensku.sk/en
External links
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- [1] (Hungarian)
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- Transport in Bratislava
- Bridges in Slovakia
- Bridges completed in 1945
- Bridges over the Danube
- Buildings and structures in Bratislava
- Former toll bridges
