Apollo Bridge, Arch bridge over the Danube in Bratislava, Slovakia.
Apollo Bridge is an arch bridge over the Danube in Bratislava, its deck hung from inclined steel arches by near-parallel cables. The arch rises 36 metres, the span is 231 metres, and the full crossing with its approach viaducts measures 835 metres. It stands on 20 piers between the Starý most and Prístavný most bridges.
The bridge was built in the early 2000s and took its name from an oil refinery that once stood on the left riverbank before World War II. It was constructed to handle growing traffic between the old town and the Petržalka district.
The name comes from the Apollo oil refinery that stood on the left bank before World War II, itself named after the Greek god Apollo. During construction the bridge was called Most Košická after the street it continues. Its designer was Ing. Miroslav Maťaščík, and the bridge won the 2006 OPAL Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers and Slovakia's Building of the Year 2006 in the bridge category.
The bridge is accessible from both sides, with clearly marked cycling paths and separate areas for pedestrians. Crossing is more pleasant outside rush hour when traffic is lighter.
During construction, workers rotated the 5,240-ton steel structure from its construction site and pivoted it into final position on a supporting pillar. This rotation method was an innovative solution for assembling such a complex structure.
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