Vilnius pontoon bridge, Pontoon bridge near Mindaugas Bridge, Vilnius, Lithuania.
The Vilnius pontoon bridge was a floating structure made of connected platforms that crossed the Neris River. The construction measured 65 meters in length with a width of 5 meters and stood 2 meters above the water surface.
Military personnel assembled the bridge each spring and disassembled it before winter as a temporary crossing. A fatal collapse in 1975 during an event at the Palace of Concerts and Sports marked the end of this floating passage.
The bridge provided a connection between entertainment venues in Žirmūnai district and the Vilnius Old Town, serving as a passage for concert attendees.
The bridge was accessible only during the warmer months as a pedestrian crossing over the river. Visitors should understand that access depended on the season and water conditions.
Before the pontoon bridge was built, an unpowered cable ferry operated between 1960 and 1965 to transport people across the river. This simple system carried about twenty passengers per crossing at minimal cost.
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