Puumalansalmi Bridge, Road bridge in Puumala, Finland
Puumalansalmi Bridge is a road bridge in Puumala, Finland, crossing the strait that separates the mainland from one of the islands in the Saimaa lake region. It runs 781 m in length, stands 31 m above the water, and is 13 m wide, which allows boat traffic to pass underneath.
Before the bridge was built in the 1990s, a ferry was the only way to cross the strait between the two shores. The completion of the crossing ended the reliance on the ferry service and made the link between both sides permanent.
The Saimaanmajakka observation tower is built directly into the bridge structure and gives visitors a place to stop high above the water. Its lighting changes with the air pressure, which creates a visible link between the structure and the local weather.
The bridge is open to vehicle traffic year-round and sits along a main road passing through Puumala. The observation tower at the bridge is worth a stop along the way, especially when the light on the water is good.
A café is built into one of the bridge pillars and can only be reached on foot. Stopping to go up means finding yourself on a terrace suspended above the water with views in both directions along the strait.
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