Svatopluk Čech Bridge, Art Nouveau deck arch bridge in Prague, Czech Republic
The Svatopluk Čech Bridge is a steel deck arch bridge over the Vltava, with a green lattice arch resting on light-gray stone piers. Its railing has ornate yellow-green panels with oval and circular motifs, and tall lamp posts rise from it. The bridge is 169 m long and 16 m wide, carrying trams and vehicles.
Built between 1905 and 1908, it was designed by engineers Jiří Soukup and Václav Trča with architect Jan Koula. The bridge opened in June of that year and became an important connection for the expanding city.
The bridge is named after the writer Svatopluk Čech, who died in 1908, the year it opened. From 1940 to 1945 the occupying authorities renamed it Mendel Bridge after Gregor Mendel; the original name returned in 1945. Bronze figures of winged women holding gilded branches, over three metres tall, stand on the pylons.
The bridge accommodates separate lanes for vehicles and trams as well as pedestrian paths on both sides. Traffic tends to be heaviest during rush hours, and trams operate regularly throughout the day.
The original roadway was made from Australian Jarrah wood, which was later replaced because it became slippery when wet. This unusual choice reflects the international trade connections of the early 1900s.
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