Quezon Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Puente Colgante, originally called Puente de Claveria, was a suspension bridge
that connected the Manila
districts of Quiapo
and Ermita
across the Pasig River
in the Philippines
. Designed by the Basque
engineer Matias Menchacatorre and completed in 1852, it was the first suspension bridge in Southeast Asia
. The bridge was replaced by Quezon Bridge
in the 1930s.
built in Southeast Asia when it was started in 1849 and completed in 1852. It was built and owned by Ynchausti y Compañia, the business headed by Jose Joaquin de Ynchausti. He commissioned the design from Basque engineer Matias Menchacatorre. The bridge was first named Puente de Claveria, likely in honor of the Governor-General of the Philippines
Narciso Claveria y Zaldua
, who served from 1844-1849.
The suspension bridge measured 110 metres (360.9 ft) long and 7 metres (23 ft) wide, and had two lanes that allowed passage of horses and carabao
-drawn carriages. It was also opened for pedestrians traveling on foot between Quiapo
and Intramuros
and nearby areas.
In 1854 Ynchausti brought together the Ynchausti family holdings under the above name. A Basque
Spaniard born in Cadiz
, de Ynchausti immigrated to the Philippines in the second quarter of the nineteenth century and built a business empire. In 1889 Ynchausti y Compañia was the largest company in the Philippines.
The 20th-century writer Nick Joaquin
described the bridge as it was in the 1870s: “Across the city’s river now arched … the amazing Puente Colgante, suspended in the air, like a salute to the age of science and engineering. The Industrial Age
found its expression in the Philippines in the form of a bridge unparalleled throughout Asia.”
Historians dispute local traditions that say the bridge was designed by Gustave Eiffel
, who designed the Eiffel Tower
in Paris
. (This is also asserted about the Puente de Ayala.) They note the original bridge has been documented as designed by a Basque. (In addition, the 1930s work was performed a decade after Eiffel died in 1923.)
. It was renamed Quezon Bridge after Manuel L. Quezon
, the president of the Philippines at that time.
Suspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. Outside Tibet and Bhutan, where the first examples of this type of bridge were built in the 15th century, this type of bridge dates from the early 19th century...
that connected the Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
districts of Quiapo
Quiapo, Manila
Quiapo is a district and city square of Manila. Referred as the "Old Downtown", Quiapo in known for where cheap buys or goods are being sold at rock-bottom prices and was the home of the Quiapo Church, where the feast for the Black Nazarene is held, with over millions of people attending...
and Ermita
Ermita, Manila
Ermita is a district of Manila, Philippines located halfway between Intramuros and Malate.-History:Ermita was founded in the late 16th century...
across the Pasig River
Pasig River
The Pasig River is a river in the Philippines that connects Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay. Stretching for , it is lined by Metro Manila on each side...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. Designed by the Basque
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
engineer Matias Menchacatorre and completed in 1852, it was the first suspension bridge in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
. The bridge was replaced by Quezon Bridge
Quezon Bridge
The Puente Colgante, originally called Puente de Claveria, was a suspension bridge that connected the Manila districts of Quiapo and Ermita across the Pasig River in the Philippines. Designed by the Basque engineer Matias Menchacatorre and completed in 1852, it was the first suspension bridge in...
in the 1930s.
History
Puente Colgante (which is the term for a suspenion bridge in Spanish; literally, hanging bridge) was the first suspension bridgeSuspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. Outside Tibet and Bhutan, where the first examples of this type of bridge were built in the 15th century, this type of bridge dates from the early 19th century...
built in Southeast Asia when it was started in 1849 and completed in 1852. It was built and owned by Ynchausti y Compañia, the business headed by Jose Joaquin de Ynchausti. He commissioned the design from Basque engineer Matias Menchacatorre. The bridge was first named Puente de Claveria, likely in honor of the Governor-General of the Philippines
Governor-General of the Philippines
The Governor-General of the Philippines was the title of the government executive during the colonial period of the Philippines, governed mainly by Spain and the United States, and briefly by Great Britain, from 1565 to 1935....
Narciso Claveria y Zaldua
Narciso Clavería y Zaldúa
Narciso Clavería y Zaldúa , a native of Gerona, Spain , was the Governor-General of the Philippines from July 16, 1844 to December 26, 1849. Clavería was a man of culture, probity, and industry. He traveled through many provinces trying to learn the needs of the Filipinos...
, who served from 1844-1849.
The suspension bridge measured 110 metres (360.9 ft) long and 7 metres (23 ft) wide, and had two lanes that allowed passage of horses and carabao
Carabao
The carabao or Bubalus bubalis carabanesis is a subspecies of the domesticated water buffalo found in the Philippines, Guam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and various parts of Southeast Asia...
-drawn carriages. It was also opened for pedestrians traveling on foot between Quiapo
Quiapo
Quiapo may refer to:*Quiapo, Chile a location in Arauco Province*Quiapo, Manila in the Philippines...
and Intramuros
Intramuros
Intramuros is the oldest district in the present day city of Manila, the capital of the Republic of the Philippines. Nicknamed the "Walled City", Intramuros is the historic fortified city of Manila, the seat ot the government during the Spanish Colonial Period. Its name in Latin, intramuros,...
and nearby areas.
In 1854 Ynchausti brought together the Ynchausti family holdings under the above name. A Basque
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
Spaniard born in Cadiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
, de Ynchausti immigrated to the Philippines in the second quarter of the nineteenth century and built a business empire. In 1889 Ynchausti y Compañia was the largest company in the Philippines.
The 20th-century writer Nick Joaquin
Nick Joaquín
Nicomedes Márquez Joaquín was a Filipino writer, historian and journalist, best known for his short stories and novels in the English language. He also wrote using the pen name Quijano de Manila...
described the bridge as it was in the 1870s: “Across the city’s river now arched … the amazing Puente Colgante, suspended in the air, like a salute to the age of science and engineering. The Industrial Age
Industrial Age
Industrial Age may refer to:*Industrialisation*The Industrial Revolution...
found its expression in the Philippines in the form of a bridge unparalleled throughout Asia.”
Historians dispute local traditions that say the bridge was designed by Gustave Eiffel
Gustave Eiffel
Alexandre Gustave Eiffel was a French structural engineer from the École Centrale Paris, an architect, an entrepreneur and a specialist of metallic structures...
, who designed the Eiffel Tower
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. (This is also asserted about the Puente de Ayala.) They note the original bridge has been documented as designed by a Basque. (In addition, the 1930s work was performed a decade after Eiffel died in 1923.)
Replacement
During the 1930s, the suspension bridge was replaced by a modern steel arch bridgeArch 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...
. It was renamed Quezon Bridge after Manuel L. Quezon
Manuel L. Quezon
Manuel Luis Quezón y Molina served as president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1935 to 1944. He was the first Filipino to head a government of the Philippines...
, the president of the Philippines at that time.