Little Belt Bridge, Steel bridge in Middelfart, Denmark
Little Belt Bridge is a steel and railway bridge in Middelfart that links the Jutland peninsula to the island of Funen across a length of 1178 meters. The structure consists of several sections, with the main span covering a width of 220 meters.
The bridge opened on May 14, 1935, and was the first permanent crossing over the Little Belt, which until then could only be crossed by ferry. Its completion reduced travel time between Copenhagen and western Denmark considerably.
The name comes from the Danish term for the narrow waterway running between the two landmasses, which drivers and train passengers cross every day. The structure remains for many Danes an example of engineering skill from the interwar period.
The structure carries a double-track railway line and a two-lane road stacked above each other, so both routes can be used at the same time. The clearance of 33 meters (108 feet) allows ships to pass even at normal water levels.
The bridge was the longest steel structure of its kind in Europe at the time of opening and attracted specialists from many countries to inspect it. Its supporting structure combines cantilever and truss elements, which was an unusual technical solution at the time.
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