Britannia Bridge, Railway bridge in Pentir, Wales
Britannia Bridge is a double-deck road and railway crossing over the Menai Strait, linking Anglesey to the Welsh mainland. The steel construction rests on three massive stone towers and traverses the waterway with a total span of 460 meters.
Robert Stephenson designed the original construction as a rectangular iron tube that opened in 1850, guiding trains through enclosed tunnel sections. After a fire in 1970, the crossing was completely rebuilt and received its current arch structure with an added road level.
The structure's name honors the British monarchy and recalls the era when Anglesey belonged to the kingdom. The three preserved stone towers remind visitors how engineering once merged with monumental architecture.
The lower level carries the tracks of the North Wales Coast Line, while the upper level serves vehicles on the A55 between the island and the mainland. Pedestrians cannot cross the construction, but several viewpoints along both shores allow a good view of the structure.
Four monumental limestone lions, created by John Thomas, guard the approaches and originate from the original installation of 1850. The sculptures survived the major fire and remained in place throughout the entire reconstruction.
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