Reichsbrücke
Encyclopedia
The Reichsbrücke is Vienna's
most famous bridge, linking Mexicoplatz in Leopoldstadt
with the Donauinsel
in Donaustadt
on the other side of the Danube
. It lies on an important axis leading from the city centre at Stephansplatz
, through Praterstern, and on to Kagran in the north-east. The bridge carries six lanes of traffic, used by 50,000 vehicles daily, U-Bahn
tracks, two footpaths
and two cyclepaths.
Bridge), before the regulation of the Danube in Vienna. A truss
of iron girder
s spanned the main river, with vaulted bridges
crossing the flood plains on either side. It was formally opened on 21 August 1876, and the name was changed to Reichsbrücke in 1919 after Austria became a republic.
As a measure to reduce the level of unemployment in the 1930s, a suspension bridge
was planned to take the place of the old Reichsbrücke. The technical plans were drawn up by the architects Siegfried Theiß and Hans Jaksch, with artistic control being given to Clemens Holzmeister. The pillars of the old bridge were extended downstream and the structure was shifted by 26 m in less than seven hours. The new bridge could thus be built on the line of the old bridge without long-lasting disruptions to traffic. This suspension bridge, built between 1934 and 1937, carried four lanes of traffic, two tram lines and footpaths on both sides. The bridges over the flood plains were also expanded. The new bridge was opened on 10 October 1937 by Cardinal Innitzer and Bundespräsident
Wilhelm Miklas
.
During the Second World War, the Reichsbrücke was the only one of Vienna's bridges over the Danube not to suffer serious damage. The Soviet troops attacking the city were in time to prevent the bridge being destroyed by the defending Wehrmacht
, and as a result, the bridge was re-named Brücke der Roten Armee (Red Army
Bridge) for a while. The bridge was renovated between 1948 and 1952. In 1948, the bridge was used as a location in the film The Third Man
.
. Two supplementary bridges were hurriedly raised to carry the traffic and the trams, and were in use for four years.
An international competition was launched for the design of the new bridge, and was won by the "Johann Nestroy
" project. Construction began in 1978, and the bridge was formally opened on 8 November 1980 by city councillor Heinz Nittel
, under the name Johann-Nestroy-Brücke, a name which has not caught on .
The Viennese U-Bahn network was routed over the Reichsbrücke for the first time on 3 September 1982, after extensive testing.
In 2003, the periphery of the bridge was overhauled, together with the lighting, and the footpaths and cyclepaths were widened. At the same time, the width of lanes was increased by reducing the width of the central reservation
and removing the narrow emergency sidewalks.
A German passenger ship rammed one pillar of the Reichsbrücke in 2004, severely injuring several people. The bridge was undamaged by the accident.
On Saturday 9 July 2005, the 25th anniversary of the building of the Reichsbrücke was celebrated, and the restoration was finished. The tarmac
was treated with a special noise-absorbing layer, and three new night bus
stops were built.
The bridge contains the Donauinsel station of the Vienna U-Bahn.
The wharf
beside the Reichsbrücke will be the site of a tourist attraction based on the two boats Niederösterreich and Oberst Brecht. These were the Austrian Army's last patrol ships on the Danube, and the successors of the KuK Kriegsmarine
.
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...
most famous bridge, linking Mexicoplatz in Leopoldstadt
Leopoldstadt
Leopoldstadt is the 2nd municipal District of Vienna . There are inhabitants over . It is situated in the heart of the city and, together with Brigittenau , forms a large island surrounded by the Danube Canal and, to the north, the Danube. It is named after Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor...
with the Donauinsel
Donauinsel
The Donauinsel is a long, narrow island, in central Vienna, Austria, between the Danube river and the parallel excavated channel Neue Donau . The island is 21.1 km in length, but is only 70–210 metres broad...
in Donaustadt
Donaustadt
Donaustadt is the 22nd district of Vienna, Austria .Donaustadt is the eastern fourth of Vienna.- Geography :The Donaustadt district is in the northeast part of Vienna and is the largest of the districts in area, occupying about one-quarter of the Vienna city area, 102.24 km².It borders the...
on the other side of the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
. It lies on an important axis leading from the city centre at Stephansplatz
Stephansdom
St. Stephen's Cathedral is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Vienna and the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna, Christoph Cardinal Schönborn, OP...
, through Praterstern, and on to Kagran in the north-east. The bridge carries six lanes of traffic, used by 50,000 vehicles daily, U-Bahn
Vienna U-Bahn
The Vienna U-Bahn is a rapid transit system consisting of five lines. It is the backbone of one of the best performing public transport systems worldwide according to UITP in June 2009. More than 1.3 million passengers use the Vienna U-Bahn every day...
tracks, two footpaths
Sidewalk
A sidewalk, or pavement, footpath, footway, and sometimes platform, is a path along the side of a road. A sidewalk may accommodate moderate changes in grade and is normally separated from the vehicular section by a curb...
and two cyclepaths.
History of the Reichsbrücke
The first bridge to be built on the site of the current Reichsbrücke was constructed in 1872–1876 under the name Kronprinz-Rudolph-Brücke (Crown Prince RudolfCrown Prince Rudolf of Austria
Rudolf , archduke of Austria and crown prince of Austria, Hungary and Bohemia, was the son and heir of Franz Joseph I, emperor of Austria, Hungary and Bohemia, and his wife and empress, Elisabeth...
Bridge), before the regulation of the Danube in Vienna. A truss
Truss
In architecture and structural engineering, a truss is a structure comprising one or more triangular units constructed with straight members whose ends are connected at joints referred to as nodes. External forces and reactions to those forces are considered to act only at the nodes and result in...
of iron girder
Girder
A girder is a support beam used in construction. Girders often have an I-beam cross section for strength, but may also have a box shape, Z shape or other forms. Girder is the term used to denote the main horizontal support of a structure which supports smaller beams...
s spanned the main river, with vaulted bridges
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...
crossing the flood plains on either side. It was formally opened on 21 August 1876, and the name was changed to Reichsbrücke in 1919 after Austria became a republic.
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...
was planned to take the place of the old Reichsbrücke. The technical plans were drawn up by the architects Siegfried Theiß and Hans Jaksch, with artistic control being given to Clemens Holzmeister. The pillars of the old bridge were extended downstream and the structure was shifted by 26 m in less than seven hours. The new bridge could thus be built on the line of the old bridge without long-lasting disruptions to traffic. This suspension bridge, built between 1934 and 1937, carried four lanes of traffic, two tram lines and footpaths on both sides. The bridges over the flood plains were also expanded. The new bridge was opened on 10 October 1937 by Cardinal Innitzer and Bundespräsident
President of Austria
The President of Austria is the federal head of state of Austria. Though theoretically entrusted with great power by the constitution, in practice the President acts, for the most part, merely as a ceremonial figurehead...
Wilhelm Miklas
Wilhelm Miklas
Wilhelm Miklas was an Austrian politician who served as the third President of Austria, from 1928 until its annexation by Nazi Germany in the Anschluss 1938.-Early life:...
.
During the Second World War, the Reichsbrücke was the only one of Vienna's bridges over the Danube not to suffer serious damage. The Soviet troops attacking the city were in time to prevent the bridge being destroyed by the defending Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
, and as a result, the bridge was re-named Brücke der Roten Armee (Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
Bridge) for a while. The bridge was renovated between 1948 and 1952. In 1948, the bridge was used as a location in the film The Third Man
The Third Man
The Third Man is a 1949 British film noir, directed by Carol Reed and starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles, and Trevor Howard. Many critics rank it as a masterpiece, particularly remembered for its atmospheric cinematography, performances, and unique musical score...
.
The Reichsbrücke collapse
On Sunday 1 August 1976, shortly before 05:00, the bridge collapsed, killing one person. One lorry was destroyed and several ships damaged. The driver of an empty city bus was able to save himself, and his bus was salvaged and continued to be used until 1989; it now resides in Vienna's tramway museum (Straßenbahnmuseum). Shipping was diverted through the DonaukanalDonaukanal
The Donaukanal is a former arm of the river Danube, now regulated as a water channel , within the city of Vienna, Austria...
. Two supplementary bridges were hurriedly raised to carry the traffic and the trams, and were in use for four years.
Johann Nestroy
Johann Nepomuk Eduard Ambrosius Nestroy was a singer, actor and playwright in the popular Austrian tradition of the Biedermeier period and its immediate aftermath...
" project. Construction began in 1978, and the bridge was formally opened on 8 November 1980 by city councillor Heinz Nittel
Heinz Nittel
Heinz Nittel , a leader of the Austrian Socialist party and the president of the Austrian-Israeli Friendship League, was shot to death on May 1, 1981 outside his home in Vienna by Hesham Mohammed Rajeh, 21, born in Iraq. Rajeh was also indicted for the 1981 Vienna synagogue attack.-References:...
, under the name Johann-Nestroy-Brücke, a name which has not caught on .
The Viennese U-Bahn network was routed over the Reichsbrücke for the first time on 3 September 1982, after extensive testing.
In 2003, the periphery of the bridge was overhauled, together with the lighting, and the footpaths and cyclepaths were widened. At the same time, the width of lanes was increased by reducing the width of the central reservation
Central reservation
On divided roads, such as divided highways or freeways/motorways, the central reservation , median, parkway , median strip or central nature strip is the area which separates opposing lanes of traffic...
and removing the narrow emergency sidewalks.
A German passenger ship rammed one pillar of the Reichsbrücke in 2004, severely injuring several people. The bridge was undamaged by the accident.
On Saturday 9 July 2005, the 25th anniversary of the building of the Reichsbrücke was celebrated, and the restoration was finished. The tarmac
Tarmac
Tarmac is a type of road surface. Tarmac refers to a material patented by Edgar Purnell Hooley in 1901...
was treated with a special noise-absorbing layer, and three new night bus
Night bus
A night bus service or owl service is a public transport bus service which operates through the night time hours. Many cities operate such services, either in addition to or in substitution for ordinary daytime bus services or rapid transit rail services which may shut for maintenance or due to...
stops were built.
The bridge contains the Donauinsel station of the Vienna U-Bahn.
Patrouillenboote
Wharf
A wharf or quay is a structure on the shore of a harbor where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.Such a structure includes one or more berths , and may also include piers, warehouses, or other facilities necessary for handling the ships.A wharf commonly comprises a fixed...
beside the Reichsbrücke will be the site of a tourist attraction based on the two boats Niederösterreich and Oberst Brecht. These were the Austrian Army's last patrol ships on the Danube, and the successors of the KuK Kriegsmarine
Austro-Hungarian Navy
The Austro-Hungarian Navy was the naval force of Austria-Hungary. Its official name in German was Kaiserliche und Königliche Kriegsmarine , abbreviated as k.u.k. Kriegsmarine....
.