Västerbron
Västerbron | |
---|---|
Coordinates | 59°19′28″N 18°01′38″E / 59.3244°N 18.0272°E |
Carries | Motor vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians |
Crosses | Riddarfjärden |
Locale | Stockholm, Sweden |
Begins | Kungsholmen |
Ends | Södermalm |
Characteristics | |
Design | Arch bridge |
Material | Steel |
Total length | 602 m (1,975 ft) |
Longest span | 204 m (669 ft) |
No. of spans | 2 |
Clearance below | 26 m (85 ft) |
History | |
Architect | Birger Borgström, David Dahl, Paul Hedqvist[1] |
Successful competition design | Otto Rudolf Salvisberg, Wilhelm Büning, Wilhelm Maelzer |
Constructed by | Salomon Kasarnowsky, E. Nilsson[1] |
Fabrication by | Dortmunder Union, Motala Verkstad |
Construction start | 1931 |
Construction end | 1935 |
Inaugurated | 20 November 1935 |
Location | |
Västerbron (lit. 'the western bridge') is an arch bridge in central Stockholm, Sweden. With a total length exceeding 600 m, 340 m of which stretches over water, it is one of the major bridges in Stockholm, offering one of the most panoramic views of the central part of the city centering on Gamla stan, the old town. Its inauguration on 20 November 1935 made it the second stationary connection between the southern and northern parts of the city, saving the citizens the effort of a ferry ride, which had previously been required, or the congested detour through Gamla stan.
Sections
Västerbron can be said to consist of three sections:
- Västerbron over Riddarfjärden – with two spans stretching over Riddarfjärden.
- Västerbron over Pålsundet – a simple arch bridge stretching over Pålsundet.
- Västerbron over Rålambshovsparken – a girderless floor construction stretching from Västerbroplan over Rålambshovsparken to Drottningsholmsvägen near Fridhemsplan.[2]
Västerbron over Riddarfjärden
This is the section most Stockholmers would call "Västerbron proper". It consists of two arches together encompassing slightly more than 600 m, including the viaducts in either side. The southern arch next to Långholmen has a span of 204 m and, stretching over the navigable passage underneath, a vertical clearance of 26 m. The northern arch is smaller, with a span of 168 m. This section is 24 m wide with a 19-metre-wide (62 ft) roadway flanked by 2.5-metre-wide (8.2 ft) pavements, dimensions applying to the other sections as well.[2]
Västerbron over Pålsundet
Previously known as Pålsundsbron, this section stretches over 276 m, including viaducts, forming the southern arch leading over Pålsundet from Södermalm to Långholmen. It was built at the same time as Västerbron over Riddarfjärden and forms a continuous structure with it, both bridges having the same width and being made entirely in steel. It was the first major bridge in Sweden with a welded steel superstructure.[2]
Two much smaller bridges allow cars and pedestrians to reach Långholmen, where the former
Västerbron over Rålambshovsparken
With its west-eastern direction, this section stretches some 243 m over the parc Rålambshovsparken from the roundabout at Västerbroplan to Drottningholmsvägen, the major traffic route leading to the western suburbs. Originally this section was suggested as an embankment cutting the park in two with only a small bridge leading over Rålambshovsleden below. Because of the poor carrying capacity of the soil, the embankment plans were substituted by the present concrete structure, a girderless slab carried by pillars.[2]
History
The first proposal for a bridge connecting Kungsholmen with Långholmen was made in 1903 when plans to relocate the main northern railway passing through Stockholm to the west of the central city were discussed. The proposal mainly focused on a
The relocation of the railway was finally brought up again and in 1925 three alternative designs for a road-rail bridge were produced, with a street bridge passing alternatively to the east, to the west, or above the railway.[2]
While most agreed the southern part of the bridge should connect with Långholmsgatan on Södermalm passing over Långholmen, the connection to Kungsholmen gave several possibilities. Before finally settling the present location with the northern end of the bridge landing on Rålambshov, two other alternatives were considered; One further west, between Långholmen and Smedsudden, the shortest distance over Riddarfjärden, and one to the east, connecting the bridge directly to Sankt Eriksgatan much further north.[2]
A sunken rock north of the navigable course in Riddarfjärden, appropriate for a bridge foundation, finally convinced the city council to commission the port authorities to launch an international competition for a bridge passing over the rock. The competition produced no less than 72 different designs, including
Västerbron was built simultaneously to the then modern traffic centre at
The increasing traffic following WWII continued to strain the capacity of Västerbron. Much of the north-southern traffic flow through the old city centre remained confined to the bridge until the inauguration in 1966 of
In August 1993 a
As of 2006 a dozen workers have been working for several years to treat the bridge against corrosive attacks.
Västerbron in Swedish culture
Published simultaneously to the inauguration, the novel Människor kring en bro ("People round a bridge") by the proletarian author Josef Kjellgren (1907–1948) gave a detailed account of the life of the workers who took part in the construction of the bridge.
The singer and actress Monica Zetterlund (1937–2005) mentions the bridge in one of her major hits Sakta vi gå genom stan (Swedish cover of Walking My Baby Back Home) in the now famous lyrics written by Beppe Wolgers: På Västerbron, i den himmelska ron, en spårvagn går ensam och tom. ("On Västerbron, in the heavenly peace, a tram passes lonely and vacant.").
Johan Dufour composed the piano piece Västerbron [1] in 1989 while living at Kungsholmen.
Stockholm-based indie-band Laakso lament a lost love on the bridge in their 2007 song bearing its name.
During the annual Stockholm Marathon, the passage over Västerbron is known as one of the most exciting during the two laps around Stockholm. It is also the place where many choose to encourage friends and relatives participating in the run.
The view over Riddarfjärden makes the bridge a very popular spot for watching the New Year's Eve fireworks.
In March 2008, Anders Göthberg, guitarist in the Swedish cult indie band Broder Daniel committed suicide by jumping off the bridge.
The Swedish
Gallery
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A tram on the bridge, 1940
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Northern section of the bridge passing over the park Rålambhovsparken.
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Västerbron's bridge span on Långholmen
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Västerbron viewed from the Old town with Långholmen to the left and Kungsholmen to the right.
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View from Långholmen facing north
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A skate park under the Little Västerbron
See also
References
- ^ a b Samfundet S:t Erik. "Västerbron" (in Swedish). Stockholm City Museum. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i
Dufwa, Arne (1985). "Broar och viadukter: Västerbron". Stockholms tekniska historia: Trafik, broar, tunnelbanor, gator (1st ed.). Uppsala: Stockholms gatukontor and Kommittén för Stockholmsforskning. pp. 198–200. ISBN 91-38-08725-1.
- ^ A woman was hospitalized for three weeks for burns. "Coping with a Credibility Crisis: The Stockholm JAS Fighter Crash of 1993" Archived 2013-05-21 at the Wayback Machine, p. 27. Swedish National Defence College. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
External links
- Stockholmskällan - historical images of Västerbron.