Each bridge is different and each is worth seeing. But it would take not weeks, but months to look at all the bridges and pedestrian and bicycle bridges in Wroclaw with your own eyes.
Wroclaw is a city of bridges, it is estimated that there are well over 100, the most in Poland. They pin down a bagatelle of 20 islands on which the city is spread out. Bridges monuments, bridges pearls of architecture, bridges wonders of technology, bridges ordinary – we will see them all in Wroclaw.
1
Rędziński Bridge – a record hunter
The real record-holder among Wrocław’s bridges is the Rędziński Bridge. Located on the western edge of the city, it leads the way in several categories. Commissioned in the summer of 2011, it immediately became the longest reinforced concrete suspension bridge in Poland at 1,742 meters. The Rędziński Bridge is also unrivaled as a m.in. the longest suspension bridge on a single pylon, the tallest pylon (122 meters), the largest reinforced concrete bridge in the world by area (70,000 m3), the fourth largest concrete bridge in the world. And on top of that, the bridge looks simply impressive, especially at night, when nicely illuminated browse the
In the waters of the Oder River.
2
Grunwald Bridge – a hanging giant
It is the largest suspension bridge in Poland, measuring 112.5 meters long, 18 meters wide and weighing 2,300 tons. For years, it was the most important crossing of the Oder River in Wroclaw and is immediately associated with the city. Grunwald Bridge has a distinctive appearance – on both banks of the river stand brick pylons 20 meters high connected by
With granite arches, a span was hooked up to them using steel bands. In 1910, when it was built, it was a thoroughly modern structure. One side of the bridge offers a panorama of Ostrow Tumski and Sand Island, while the other offers a view of the 19th-century water tower.
3
Bartoszowicki Bridge – a hydro-engineering marvel
The first surprise on the Bartoszowice Bridge is the brick abutments topped with cylindrical “houses.” The second surprise is the lower integral part of the bridge, the Bartoszewicki Weir, which is the only one of nine water stages on the Oder River in Wroclaw. This 106-year-old bridge is a unique hydro structure in Europe. It is a must see! The bridge is formed by three steel spans supported by abutments. It is 110.2 m long, 3.8 m high and only
5.5 meters wide, giving it priority among the narrowest bridges in Wroclaw.
4
Tumski Bridge – walking in love
Although young couples are no longer allowed to pin commemorative padlocks on the Tumski Ist, it is still called the Bridge of Lovers or the Bridge of Love, and the legends of great affection are still alive and fondly repeated. This historic pedestrian bridge over the Oder River is one of the most popular in the city. Double-span, riveted construction
in a dark green shade connects the oldest part of the city, Ostrów Tumski, with Piasek Island. At the entrance, statues of St. Nicholas greet you. The two are St. Hedwig, the patron saint of Silesia, and St. The cathedral is the patron saint of St. John the Baptist, the patron saint of the archdiocese and Wroclaw Cathedral.
5
Peace Bridge – to commemorate the return to the motherland
This is the first large bridge over the Oder River in Wroclaw built from scratch after World War II. Previously the Lessing Bridge stood here, destroyed during the war – there was nothing to rebuild. Today the Peace Bridge has three spans, 125 meters long and over 25 wide, and has two two-lane roadways, two sidewalks and a two-track streetcar line. It received its current name, the Peace Bridge, in 1966 to commemorate the return to the motherland of the Western and Northern Territories. On this occasion, a plaque was placed at the northern abutment, announcing the erection of the Monument to the Return to the Motherland of the Western and Northern Territories. The competition for the monument was decided a year later, but it was never erected, only the granite plaque remained. Previously, this was the Provincial Bridge.
6
Sand Bridge – the oldest crossing in the city
This is a favorite route for strollers, leading one way to Ostrów Tumski – the oldest historic part of Wroclaw, or the opposite way to the Market Hall. The Sand Bridge is a single-span iron structure in a striking red color, built 162 years ago. It is relatively narrow, with an approx.
6.5 meters wide, and sidewalks are placed on the outside of the bridge girders. Numerous renovations and repairs have changed its appearance, but it is still the oldest surviving crossing in the city. However, it is worth knowing that the history of the Sand Bridge is much, much longer than these 162 years. As early as the 12th century, a wooden, multi-span bridge, with one drawbridge section, was in operation here.