Koninginnebrug, Double bascule bridge in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
The Koninginnebrug is a double bascule bridge spanning the Koningshaven with two movable steel decks, each balanced by counterweights of 800 metric tons. The two roadways can be raised independently to allow ships to pass through underneath.
The bridge replaced an earlier rotating bridge from 1870 that could no longer handle growing traffic demands. Architect Albert Hendrik van Rood designed this new steel structure in 1929 to meet modern shipping and transportation needs.
The four brick control houses with copper cone roofs at each corner show the Dutch approach to industrial building. These structures give the steel framework its distinctive appearance that visitors notice right away.
Visitors can cross the bridge on foot or by bicycle and often have a chance to watch the movable decks in action. It is best to visit during clear weather to see the structural details from different sides of the harbor.
The bridge was originally designed as Europe's largest double bascule when it opened, and its two moving sections can operate completely independently. Today the operation is controlled remotely from the Erasmus Bridge control center instead of the historic control houses on the waterfront.
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