Willemsbrug
Encyclopedia
The Willemsbrug is a bridge
next to the Erasmusbrug
in the centre of Rotterdam
, spanning the Nieuwe Maas
. It links the northern part of the city with the Noordereiland and (in combination with the Koninginnebrug) the district of Feijenoord. Together with the already mentioned Erasmusbridge and the Maastunnel
the Willemsbrug provides an excellent connection between the two city parts.
The bridge was completed in 1981, designed by C. Veerling and named after King Willem III of the Netherlands. It replaced an older bridge which had been opened in 1878 but was severely outdated by the time the decision was made to build a new one. Because of the intensity of the traffic using the old bridge it was decided to build the new one 150 metres upstream to avoid upsetting the daily flow of traffic across the river. After the completion of the new bridge the old one was demolished.
The Willemsbrug is a cable-stayed bridge
with a total span of about 318 meters. It is painted in a red color which puts it in sharp contrast with the light blue painted Erasmusbrug.
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
next to the Erasmusbrug
Erasmusbrug
The Erasmusbrug is a cable stayed bridge across the Nieuwe Maas river, linking the northern and southern halves of the city of Rotterdam, The Netherlands....
in the centre of Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, spanning the Nieuwe Maas
Nieuwe Maas
The Nieuwe Maas distributary of the Rhine River, and a former distributary of the Maas River, in the Dutch province of South Holland. It runs from the confluence of the rivers Noord and Lek, and flows west through Rotterdam. It ends west of the city where it meets the Oude Maas , near Vlaardingen,...
. It links the northern part of the city with the Noordereiland and (in combination with the Koninginnebrug) the district of Feijenoord. Together with the already mentioned Erasmusbridge and the Maastunnel
Maastunnel
The Maastunnel is a tunnel in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, connecting the banks of the Nieuwe Maas. About 75,000 motor vehicles and a large number cyclists, mopeds and pedestrians use the tunnel daily, making the Maastunnel an important part of Rotterdam's road network. Building commenced in 1937...
the Willemsbrug provides an excellent connection between the two city parts.
The Willemsbrug is a cable-stayed bridge
Cable-stayed bridge
A cable-stayed bridge is a bridge that consists of one or more columns , with cables supporting the bridge deck....
with a total span of about 318 meters. It is painted in a red color which puts it in sharp contrast with the light blue painted Erasmusbrug.