Railway swing bridge in Gdańsk, Railway swing bridge on Martwa Wisła River, Gdańsk, Poland.
The railway swing bridge in Gdańsk spans about 115 meters across the Martwa Wisła and connects the districts of Przeróbka and Rudniki. Its three-section design allows trains to cross while also rotating horizontally when ships need to pass through.
Built in the early 1900s, this bridge was created to expand the rail network and handle growing transportation needs. It represented an early engineering solution to combine rail and ship traffic in one location.
The bridge brings people together as they watch it swing to let ships through. This visible movement shows how the river and railway serve both commerce and transportation in daily life.
The best views of the bridge come from the riverbanks or nearby walkways, especially when ships arrive. Keep in mind that the rotation happens on an unpredictable schedule tied to river traffic rather than set times.
What sets this structure apart is its sophisticated gear systems and motors that allow the entire bridge to pivot on its axis. This engineering approach is rare, creating shared space for both rail and river traffic without separate routes.
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