Transporter bridge near Hamrštejn, Hand-operated transporter bridge in Chrastava, Liberec, Czech Republic
The transporter bridge near Hamrštejn is a self-service passenger ferry: a wooden gondola suspended from a wooden frame on concrete foundations, with a 23-metre span over the Lužická Nisa. Riders pull a rope running through pulleys to haul the cabin across; it holds six people or two cyclists with bikes, or a parent with a pram and partner.
The bridge was built in 2010 after severe flooding devastated the region and made a new river crossing necessary. It marked the debut of this type of structure in the Czech Republic.
The crossing is part of a blue-marked hiking trail linking the Kolonka power-plant settlement with the Machnín hrad railway stop on line 089. Since 2014, when tourist numbers rose, traders from Bílý Kostel nad Nisou have run a seasonal refreshment stall called Stánek pod smrčkem beside it.
Visitors can reach the bridge by walking through forest from the village of Machnín Hrad. Access is easiest during warmer months, and proper footwear is recommended due to the woodland terrain.
Only about eight operational transporter bridges of this type remain worldwide, making this crossing a rare example of historical engineering. The interactive nature of the manual operation lets visitors become part of how it works.
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