Dragon Bridge
Encyclopedia
Dragon Bridge is a road bridge located in Ljubljana
, the capital of Slovenia
. It is situated
in the northeast of Vodnik Square
across the Ljubljanica
river. Built in the beginning of the 20th century, the bridge is today protected as a technical monument.
. But it lost its official name after opening and was unofficially renamed to the Dragon Bridge because of the four dragon statues at its four corners.
in 1895. For economic reasons, the municipal authorities took the decision to finance a reinforced concrete
construction instead of a more expensive and less fashionable stone one. When the bridge was built, Ljubljana was then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire
, and the bridge was dedicated to Franz Joseph I
of the Habsburg Dynasty to commemorate forty years of his rule from 1848–1888. Dragon Bridge was completed in 1901. The bridge was built during the administration of the mayor Ivan Hribar
, as part of a wider plan of urban renovation of the town. The builder of the bridge was Austrian engineer Josef Melan
, who specialized in reinforced concrete bridge-building, and it was designed by Dalmatia
n architect Jurij Zaninović, who was a graduate of Otto Wagner
's school of architecture in Vienna
.
In 1985, Dragon Bridge was thoroughly renovated and its centennial was celebrated in 2001.
. It is the first bridge in Slovenia paved with asphalt
, the first reinforced concrete bridge in Ljubljana
, and one of Europe's earliest reinforced concrete bridges. When completed in 1901, it had the third largest arch in Europe
at that time. The bridge is built to the Melan System invented by Josef Melan
, which gained popularity particularly in the United States
and Germany
because the bridges could be built without a supporting stage. Rigid truss arches made of iron are set into the reinforced concrete bridge. The load-bearing core of the bridge were the truss iron frames during construction. After concreting these became a part of the supporting structure.
Dragon Bridge is a triple-hinged arch bridge
and has a span of 33.34 metre. The bridge is noted for its Art Nouveau
style designed by Jurij Zaninovich. He designed the concrete covering, the balustrades and the sheet-copper dragon statues of the bridge, which became a symbol of the city. The most important feature of the bridge are these four dragon statues standing on pedestals at its four corners.
was the founder of Ljubljana, and he and his Argonauts
killed a dragon. This is one of the four dragon statues in the bridge. According to local legends, when a virgin crosses the bridge, the dragons will wag their tails. Some local people have nicknamed this structure "mother-in-law" because of its fiery nature.
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
, the capital of Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
. It is situated
in the northeast of Vodnik Square
Vodnik Square
Vodnik Square is a town square in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. It spans the area from the Dragon Bridge across Pogačar Square to the Triple Bridge....
across the Ljubljanica
Ljubljanica
The Ljubljanica is a river in the southern part of Ljubljana Basin in Slovenia. The capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana, is situated on the river. The Ljubljanica rises to the south of the town Vrhnika and outflows in the Sava River about downstream from Ljubljana. Its largest affluent is Mali graben....
river. Built in the beginning of the 20th century, the bridge is today protected as a technical monument.
Etymology
The bridge was originally named The Jubilee Bridge of the Emperor Franz Josef IFranz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I was Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Croatia, Apostolic King of Hungary, King of Galicia and Lodomeria and Grand Duke of Cracow from 1848 until his death in 1916.In the December of 1848, Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria abdicated the throne as part of...
. But it lost its official name after opening and was unofficially renamed to the Dragon Bridge because of the four dragon statues at its four corners.
History
The bridge was built to replace an old wooden bridge constructed in 1819, which was damaged by a severe earthquake1895 Ljubljana earthquake
The 1895 Ljubljana earthquake refers to an earthquake that struck the Ljubljana, the capital and largest city in Slovenia, on 14 April. A 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck at 11:17 pm and shocks were felt as far away as Florence, Vienna and Split....
in 1895. For economic reasons, the municipal authorities took the decision to finance a reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
construction instead of a more expensive and less fashionable stone one. When the bridge was built, Ljubljana was then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, and the bridge was dedicated to Franz Joseph I
Franz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I was Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Croatia, Apostolic King of Hungary, King of Galicia and Lodomeria and Grand Duke of Cracow from 1848 until his death in 1916.In the December of 1848, Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria abdicated the throne as part of...
of the Habsburg Dynasty to commemorate forty years of his rule from 1848–1888. Dragon Bridge was completed in 1901. The bridge was built during the administration of the mayor Ivan Hribar
Ivan Hribar
Ivan Hribar was a Slovene and Yugoslav banker, politician, diplomat and journalist. At the turn of the century, he was one of the leaders of the National Progressive Party, and one of the most important figures of Slovene liberal nationalism...
, as part of a wider plan of urban renovation of the town. The builder of the bridge was Austrian engineer Josef Melan
Josef Melan
Josef Melan was an Austrian engineer. He is regarded as one of the most important pioneers of reinforced concrete bridge-building at the end of the 19th century. Josef Melan is credited as the inventor of the Melan System, a method for the construction of reinforced bridges...
, who specialized in reinforced concrete bridge-building, and it was designed by Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
n architect Jurij Zaninović, who was a graduate of Otto Wagner
Otto Wagner
Otto Koloman Wagner was an Austrian architect and urban planner, known for his lasting impact on the appearance of his home town Vienna, to which he contributed many landmarks.-Life:...
's school of architecture in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
.
In 1985, Dragon Bridge was thoroughly renovated and its centennial was celebrated in 2001.
Architecture
Dragon Bridge is often regarded as the most beautiful bridge produced by the Vienna SecessionVienna Secession
The Vienna Secession was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian artists who had resigned from the Association of Austrian Artists, housed in the Vienna Künstlerhaus. This movement included painters, sculptors, and architects...
. It is the first bridge in Slovenia paved with asphalt
Asphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
, the first reinforced concrete bridge in Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
, and one of Europe's earliest reinforced concrete bridges. When completed in 1901, it had the third largest arch in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
at that time. The bridge is built to the Melan System invented by Josef Melan
Josef Melan
Josef Melan was an Austrian engineer. He is regarded as one of the most important pioneers of reinforced concrete bridge-building at the end of the 19th century. Josef Melan is credited as the inventor of the Melan System, a method for the construction of reinforced bridges...
, which gained popularity particularly in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
because the bridges could be built without a supporting stage. Rigid truss arches made of iron are set into the reinforced concrete bridge. The load-bearing core of the bridge were the truss iron frames during construction. After concreting these became a part of the supporting structure.
Dragon Bridge is a triple-hinged arch bridge
Arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...
and has a span of 33.34 metre. The bridge is noted for its Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
style designed by Jurij Zaninovich. He designed the concrete covering, the balustrades and the sheet-copper dragon statues of the bridge, which became a symbol of the city. The most important feature of the bridge are these four dragon statues standing on pedestals at its four corners.
Legend
There is a legend that JasonJason
Jason was a late ancient Greek mythological hero from the late 10th Century BC, famous as the leader of the Argonauts and their quest for the Golden Fleece. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcus...
was the founder of Ljubljana, and he and his Argonauts
Argonauts
The Argonauts ) were a band of heroes in Greek mythology who, in the years before the Trojan War, accompanied Jason to Colchis in his quest to find the Golden Fleece. Their name comes from their ship, the Argo, which was named after its builder, Argus. "Argonauts", therefore, literally means...
killed a dragon. This is one of the four dragon statues in the bridge. According to local legends, when a virgin crosses the bridge, the dragons will wag their tails. Some local people have nicknamed this structure "mother-in-law" because of its fiery nature.