Iron Bridge, Timișoara
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Iron Bridge Podul de Fier | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coordinates | 45°44′56″N 21°12′52″E / 45.74889°N 21.21444°E |
| Crosses | Bega Canal |
| Locale | Timișoara, Romania |
| Other name | Metal Bridge |
| Preceded by | General Ion Dragalina Bridge |
| Followed by | Mary Bridge |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Pedestrian bridge |
| Total length | 40 m (131 ft) |
| Width | 7 m (23 ft) |
| Longest span | 32.8 m (108 ft) |
| Clearance above | 4.5 m (15 ft) |
| Clearance below | 5 m (16 ft) |
| History | |
| Constructed by | Timișoara City Hall Austro-Hungarian Railway Company |
| Construction cost | Kr. 70,000 |
| Opened | 1917 |
| Location | |
 Interactive map of Iron Bridge | |
The Iron Bridge (Romanian: Podul de Fier; Hungarian: Közötti híd; German: Eisenbrücke), also known as the Metal Bridge, is the name of a pedestrian bridge in Timișoara, Romania, which crosses the Bega Canal between Ady Endre and Andrei Mureșanu streets.[1]
Before 1870, there were no solid bridges over the Bega River for a distance of over a kilometer, except for two: the Bishop's Bridge (now located next to Michael the Brave Boulevard), which connected the fortress to Maierele Vechi (the area of present-day Nicolae Bălcescu Square), and the Fabric railway station bridge (now General Ion Dragalina Bridge). Between the Peterwardein Gate of the fortress and the Maierele Noi neighborhood (modern-day Iosefin), only a wooden bridge existed. At the initiative of Mayor János Török, the construction of metal bridges across the Bega River began in 1870–1871.[2][3]
The existing metal bridge was initially constructed on the location of the present-day Mary Bridge, which was formerly known as Hunyadi híd (Hunyadi Bridge). In 1898, its structure was strengthened to accommodate the added weight of electric trams, which were introduced at that time.[4]
In 1911, it was decided to replace the metal bridge with a reinforced concrete one, better suited for the main connection between the Cetate and Iosefin neighborhoods. Additionally, the metal superstructure of the bridge was to be reused at another location. The bridge was dismantled in March–April 1913 by the Austro-Hungarian Railway Company in Reșița. The structure was then transported about 500 meters downstream, where it was stored on the bank, to be placed between Török utca (Turkish Street, now Ady Endre Street) and Nap utca (Sun Street, now Andrei Mureșanu Street). The bridge was to be named Losonczy híd (Losonczy Bridge), in honor of István Losonczy, the commander of the Timișoara Fortress during the Turkish sieges of 1551–1552.[4][5] At this place the crossing was made with a raft, which belonged to M. Heim.[5]
The construction of the bridge involved building a concrete infrastructure on the banks, which was designed by engineer Károly Lád from the city hall's technical service. The city hall carried out the work independently until 31 October 1914. However, due to the outbreak of World War I, the project was halted and resumed in August 1916, with completion on 30 November. The Railway Company installed the metal superstructure in 1917.[4]
Since the Chain Factory was nearby, the bridge was known as the Chain Factory Bridge.[5] In the meantime, the factory having been demolished, the bridge is also known as the Iron Bridge.[3]
