Jätkänkynttilä, Cable-stayed bridge in Rovaniemi, Finland.
Jätkänkynttilä is a cable-stayed bridge that spans 320 meters across the Kemijoki River, supported by two steel towers rising 47 meters high. It carries four traffic lanes and separate paths for walkers and cyclists, connecting the city's main districts.
The bridge was completed in 1989 as Finland's first cable-stayed bridge. This achievement introduced new engineering methods to the country and solved a major transportation need for the growing city.
The name reflects the region's logging heritage and the traditional methods once used to process timber. Walking across it today, you can sense this connection to the area's working past and how the community values that history.
The bridge welcomes cars, buses, pedestrians, and cyclists with clear separation between vehicle lanes and walking paths. The flat surface and wide paths make it easy to cross on foot or by bike from any direction.
The two pillars house 36 sodium fluorescent lights that create a glowing pattern visible across the city after dark. This lighting system transforms the bridge into a recognizable landmark that shapes the night skyline of Rovaniemi.
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