Decebalus Bridge, Timișoara
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Decebalus Bridge Podul Decebal | |
|---|---|
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| Coordinates | 45°45′21″N 21°14′27″E / 45.75583°N 21.24083°E |
| Carries | Trams, motor vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles |
| Crosses | Bega Canal |
| Locale | Timișoara, Romania |
| Other name(s) | Queen Marie Bridge Neptune Bridge |
| Preceded by | Michelangelo Bridge |
| Followed by | Dacians' Bridge |
| Characteristics | |
| Material | Reinforced concrete |
| Total length | 195 m (640 ft) |
| Width | 9 m (30 ft) |
| No. of spans | 2 |
| History | |
| Architect | Albert Körössy |
| Engineering design by | Győző Mihailich |
| Constructed by | Péter Melocco |
| Opened | 1909 |
| Location | |
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The Decebalus Bridge (Romanian: Podul Decebal) is located in the western Romanian city of Timișoara, spanning the Bega River. It is one of three bridges in the Fabric district, linking it to the inner-city district of Cetate. The eastern end of the bridge is situated between the Neptune Baths and the entrance to Queen Marie Park. It is named after the Dacian king Decebalus.
During the Kingdom of Hungary, the bridge was originally known as Liget-úti híd, named after the nearby street, Liget-út (Park Street). Alternative names used less frequently during this time included Korona híd (Crown Bridge) among the Hungarian population and Parkbrücke (Park Bridge) among the German-speaking residents.
After Timișoara was incorporated into Romania in 1919, the bridge became known during the interwar period as Podul de pe Aleea Parcului (Park Alley Bridge). This name was derived from the nearby street, Aleea Parcului, which had previously been called Liget-út. A few years after Aleea Parcului was renamed Queen Marie Boulevard, the bridge was also renamed Queen Marie Bridge, in honor of Marie of Edinburgh, Queen of Romania from 1914 to 1938.
The official name, Decebalus Bridge, was established after World War II. Another commonly used name is Neptune Bridge, which comes from its proximity to the Neptune Baths or Neptune Palace. On 26 May 2016, local councilors unanimously decided to rename Decebalus Bridge to Trajan Bridge, since it is located on the road leading to the area of the same name.[1] However, several organizations representing the 1989 revolutionaries protested the change, prompting the decision to revert to the bridge's original name.[2]
History
The Bega River once had several branches in the Fabric district, where many watermills operated. In 1902, to optimize the use of water power, the city council decided to construct the Timișoara Hydroelectric Power Station and shut down the watermills. The systematization plan, created by engineer László Szesztay between 1901 and 1903, involved straightening the Bega River over a span of 2.4 kilometers. Three new bridges were built along this section: Andrei Șaguna Bridge (originally named Malom-téri híd in Hungarian), Dacians' Bridge (Széna-téri híd in Hungarian), and Decebalus Bridge (Liget-úti híd in Hungarian).[3] The original forms of the first two bridges can only be seen in photos, as they were demolished and rebuilt. The Andrei Șaguna Bridge was reconstructed in 1981, and the Dacians' Bridge was rebuilt in 1989, with only the bas-reliefs from the original structures remaining.
The construction of the bridges was open to public tender, with fourteen bids submitted by companies from Budapest, Timișoara, and Arad. The contract for the Decebalus Bridge was awarded to the Budapest-based company Péter Melocco. The bridge was finished in 1909, and the Timișoara tram system has been operating on it since 5 August of that year.[3]
