Västerbron
Encyclopedia
Västerbron is an arch bridge
in central Stockholm
, Sweden
. With a total length exceeding 600 m, 340 m of which stretches over water, it is one of the major bridges in Stockholm, offering one of the most panoramic views of the central part of the city centering on Gamla stan
, the old town. Its inauguration on 20 November 1935 made it the second stationary connection between the southern and northern parts of the city, saving the citizens the effort of a ferryride, which had previously been required.
, this section stretches over 276 m, including viaducts, forming the southern arch leading over Pålsundet
from Södermalm
to Långholmen
. It was built at the same time as Västerbron over Riddarfjärden and forms a continuous structure with it, both bridges having the same width and being made entirely in steel. It was the first major bridge in Sweden with a welded steel superstructure.
Two much smaller bridges allow cars and pedestrians to reach Långholmen, where the former Långholmen prison
area have been transformed into a popular recreational area. The space under the bridge is being used for parked trailers in summer while acting as winter quarters for boats during the dark season.
from the roundabout at Västerbroplan
to Drottningholmsvägen, the major traffic route leading to the western suburbs. Originally this section was suggested as an embankment cutting the park in two with only a small bridge leading over Rålambshovsleden below. Because of the poor carrying capacity of the soil the embankment plans were substituted by the present concrete structure, a girder
less slab carried by pillars.
The first proposal for a bridge connecting Kungsholmen with Långholmen was made in 1903 when plans to relocate the main northern railway passing through Stockholm to the west of the central city were discussed. The proposal mainly focused on a railway bridge however and, as the traffic in Stockholm at the time hardly could motivate a bridge of such dimensions, proposing a road-rail bridge was probably meant to emphasize the technical feasibility of such a bridge. The project was included in a proposal in 1905 but was not mentioned again before the 1920s.
The relocation of the railway was finally brought up again and in 1925 three alternative designs for a road-rail bridge were produced, with a street bridge passing alternatively to the east, to the west, or above the railway.
While most agreed the southern part of the bridge should connect with Långholmsgatan on Södermalm passing over Långholmen
, the connection to Kungsholmen gave several possibilities. Before finally settling the present location with the northern end of the bridge landing on Rålambshov, two other alternatives were considered; One further west, between Långholmen and Smedsudden, the shortest distance over Riddarfjärden, and one to the east, connecting the bridge directly to Sankt Eriksgatan much further north.
A sunken rock north of the navigable course in Riddarfjärden, appropriate for a bridge foundation, finally convinced the city council to commission the port authorities to launch an international competition for a bridge passing over the rock. The competition produced no less than 72 different designs, including arch bridge
s, girder bridge
s, and cable bridge
s. Winner of the competition in 1930 was the German team of the architects Otto Rudolf Salvisberg, Wilhelm Büning and Wilhelm Maelzer. The final design was approved by the city in 1931.
Västerbron was built simultaneously to the then modern traffic centre at Slussen
and while the bridge was being built many people were wondering who was supposed to use it, believing its peripheral situation would prevent it from attracting any users. However, after only a year more than 12,000 cars used the bridge daily and before 1955 that number had increased fourfold, effectively using up all the capacity the bridge could offer. In 1955-56 the bridge was broadened 2 m, giving space to new bicycle lanes.
The increasing traffic following WWII continued to strain the capacity of Västerbron. Much of the north-southern traffic flow through the old city centre remained confined to the bridge until the inauguration in 1966 of Essingeleden
, the motorway running parallel to Västerbron about 1,5 km to the west. Today Västerbron is occasionally still acting as a reserve when Essingeleden is being closed off for repair and other reasons. From its opening Västerbron was an important passage way of Stockholm’s tram network
until the last four lines of the network, one of them line 4 crossed over Västerbron, was closed in September 1967 simultaneously with the switch to right-hand side traffic
.
In August 1993 a JAS 39 Gripen
fighter aircraft
crashed
on Långholmen only a few meters from the bridge after a low altitude, low speed manoeuvre during an air show. The pilot ejected safely and only one person on the ground was lightly injured, despite tens of thousands of people standing by watching. Today a small, informal sculpture on the site of the crash, a paper plane
with its nose drilled into the soil, is commemorating the event. As a result of the accident, today air shows are forbidden over Riddarfjärden and no aircraft are allowed to pass under the bridge.
As of 2006 a dozen workers have been working for several years to treat the bridge against corrosive attacks.
Published simultaneously to the inauguration, the novel Människor kring en bro ("People round a bridge") by the proletarian author Josef Kjellgren (1907–1948) gave a detailed account of the life of the workers who took part in the construction of the bridge.
The singer and actress Monica Zetterlund
(1937–2005) mentions the bridge in one of her major hits Sakta vi gå genom stan (Swedish cover on Walking My Baby Back Home) in the now famous lyrics written by Beppe Wolgers
: På Västerbron, i den himmelska ron, en spårvagn går ensam och tom. ("On Västerbron, in the heavenly peace, a tram
passes lonely and vacant."). Still today, many Stockholmers are having a hard time passing over the bridge without singing those lyrics.
Johan Dufour composed the piano piece Västerbron http://www.ubetoo.com/player.aspx?mediaid=19675 in 1989 while living at Kungsholmen.
Stockholm-based indie-band Laakso
lament a lost love on the bridge in their 2007 song bearing its name.
During the annual Stockholm Marathon
, the passage over Västerbron is known as one of the most exacting during the two laps around Stockholm. It is also the place where many choose to encourage friends and relatives participating in the run.
The view over Riddarfjärden makes the bridge a very popular spot for watching the New Year's Eve fireworks.
In March 2008, Anders Göthberg
, guitarist in the Swedish cult indie band Broder Daniel
committed suicide by jumping off the bridge.
Image:Lilla Västerbron Stockholm.jpg|Northern section of the bridge passing over the park Rålambhovsparken.
Image:Vaesterbron 2.jpg
Image:Vasterbron_050701_01.JPG|Västerbron viewed from the Old town with Långholmen to the left and Kungsholmen to the right.
Image:Västerbron-Northern end.jpg
Arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...
in central Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. With a total length exceeding 600 m, 340 m of which stretches over water, it is one of the major bridges in Stockholm, offering one of the most panoramic views of the central part of the city centering on Gamla stan
Gamla stan
Gamla stan , until 1980 officially Staden mellan broarna , is the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Gamla stan consists primarily of the island Stadsholmen. The surrounding islets Riddarholmen, Helgeandsholmen, and Strömsborg are officially part of, but not colloquially included in, Gamla stan...
, the old town. Its inauguration on 20 November 1935 made it the second stationary connection between the southern and northern parts of the city, saving the citizens the effort of a ferryride, which had previously been required.
Sections
Västerbron can be said to consist of three sections:- Västerbron over Riddarfjärden - with two spanSpan (architecture)Span is the distance between two intermediate supports for a structure, e.g. a beam or a bridge.A span can be closed by a solid beam or of a rope...
s stretching over RiddarfjärdenRiddarfjärdenRiddarfjärden, literally the Knight Firth, is a bay of Lake Mälaren in central Stockholm. Stockholm was founded in 1252 on an island in the stream where Lake Mälaren drains into the Baltic Sea . The island is today called Stadsholmen and constitutes Stockholm's Old Town...
. - Västerbron over Pålsundet - a simple arch bridge stretching over PålsundetPålsundetPålsundet is a rural area outside Stockholm, close to the town of Järna....
. - Västerbron over Rålambshovsparken - a girderless floor construction stretching from VästerbroplanVästerbroplanVästerbroplan is a traffic intersection in Kungsholmen, Stockholm. It lies just west of Västerbron and just south of Fridhemsplan. It is also the location of DN-Skrapan, the offices of several newspapers and associated agencies. While its namesake, Dagens Nyheter, no longer resides in the building,...
over RålambshovsparkenRålambshovsparkenRålambshovsparken is a big park in Kungsholmen, Stockholm.It is overpassed by a section of the bridge Västerbron.- See also :* Geography of Stockholm...
to Drottningsholmsvägen near FridhemsplanFridhemsplanFridhemsplan is an area in Kungsholmen, Stockholm and a major metro station by the same name, where the blue line and the green line meet. The area was named Fridhemsplan in 1935, after the major street Fridhemsgatan crossing the area...
.
Västerbron over Riddarfjärden
This is the section most Stockholmers would call "Västerbron proper". It consists of two arches together encompassing slightly more than 600 m including the viaducts in either side. The southern arch next to Långholmen has a span of 204 m and, stretching over the navigable passage underneath, a vertical clearance of 26 m. The northern arch is smaller with a span of 168 m. This section is 24 m wide with a 19 m broad roadway flanked by 2,5 m wide pavements, dimensions applying to the other sections as well.Västerbron over Pålsundet
Previously known as PålsundsbronPålsundsbron
Pålsundsbron is a bridge in central Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching over the small water course Pålsundet, the bridge connects the major island Södermalm to the minor island Långholmen....
, this section stretches over 276 m, including viaducts, forming the southern arch leading over Pålsundet
Pålsundet
Pålsundet is a rural area outside Stockholm, close to the town of Järna....
from Södermalm
Södermalm
Södermalm, often shortened to "Söder", is a district in central Stockholm. It covers the large island formerly called "Åsön". With a population of 99,685, it is one of the most densely populated districts of Scandinavia...
to Långholmen
Långholmen
Långholmen is an island in central Stockholm, between Södermalm and Kungsholmen.Långholmen is a green oasis in the city, and a popular spot for walks, picnics and swimming. The small beaches, located right outside the former prison, are usually crowded in summer. However, up until 1975, Långholmen...
. It was built at the same time as Västerbron over Riddarfjärden and forms a continuous structure with it, both bridges having the same width and being made entirely in steel. It was the first major bridge in Sweden with a welded steel superstructure.
Two much smaller bridges allow cars and pedestrians to reach Långholmen, where the former Långholmen prison
Långholmen prison
Långholmen Prison, officially Långholmen Central Prison , was historically one of the biggest prison facilities in Sweden with more than 500 cells, located on the island of Långholmen in Stockholm. It was built 1874-1880 as the central prison of Sweden, and was in use until 1975...
area have been transformed into a popular recreational area. The space under the bridge is being used for parked trailers in summer while acting as winter quarters for boats during the dark season.
Västerbron over Rålambhovsparken
With its west-eastern direction this section stretches some 243 m over the parc RålambshovsparkenRålambshovsparken
Rålambshovsparken is a big park in Kungsholmen, Stockholm.It is overpassed by a section of the bridge Västerbron.- See also :* Geography of Stockholm...
from the roundabout at Västerbroplan
Västerbroplan
Västerbroplan is a traffic intersection in Kungsholmen, Stockholm. It lies just west of Västerbron and just south of Fridhemsplan. It is also the location of DN-Skrapan, the offices of several newspapers and associated agencies. While its namesake, Dagens Nyheter, no longer resides in the building,...
to Drottningholmsvägen, the major traffic route leading to the western suburbs. Originally this section was suggested as an embankment cutting the park in two with only a small bridge leading over Rålambshovsleden below. Because of the poor carrying capacity of the soil the embankment plans were substituted by the present concrete structure, a girder
Girder
A girder is a support beam used in construction. Girders often have an I-beam cross section for strength, but may also have a box shape, Z shape or other forms. Girder is the term used to denote the main horizontal support of a structure which supports smaller beams...
less slab carried by pillars.
History
The relocation of the railway was finally brought up again and in 1925 three alternative designs for a road-rail bridge were produced, with a street bridge passing alternatively to the east, to the west, or above the railway.
While most agreed the southern part of the bridge should connect with Långholmsgatan on Södermalm passing over Långholmen
Långholmen
Långholmen is an island in central Stockholm, between Södermalm and Kungsholmen.Långholmen is a green oasis in the city, and a popular spot for walks, picnics and swimming. The small beaches, located right outside the former prison, are usually crowded in summer. However, up until 1975, Långholmen...
, the connection to Kungsholmen gave several possibilities. Before finally settling the present location with the northern end of the bridge landing on Rålambshov, two other alternatives were considered; One further west, between Långholmen and Smedsudden, the shortest distance over Riddarfjärden, and one to the east, connecting the bridge directly to Sankt Eriksgatan much further north.
A sunken rock north of the navigable course in Riddarfjärden, appropriate for a bridge foundation, finally convinced the city council to commission the port authorities to launch an international competition for a bridge passing over the rock. The competition produced no less than 72 different designs, including arch bridge
Arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...
s, girder bridge
Girder bridge
A girder bridge, in general, is a bridge built of girders placed on bridge abutments and foundation piers. In turn, a bridge deck is built on top of the girders in order to carry traffic. There are several different subtypes of girder bridges:...
s, and cable bridge
Cable Bridge
The Cable Bridge, officially called the Ed Hendler Bridge and sometimes called the Intercity Bridge, spans the Columbia River between Pasco and Kennewick in southeastern Washington as State Route 397...
s. Winner of the competition in 1930 was the German team of the architects Otto Rudolf Salvisberg, Wilhelm Büning and Wilhelm Maelzer. The final design was approved by the city in 1931.
Västerbron was built simultaneously to the then modern traffic centre at Slussen
Slussen
Slussen is an area of central Stockholm, connecting Södermalm and Gamla stan. The area is named after the locks between Lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. The locks themselves allow passage between these two bodies of water...
and while the bridge was being built many people were wondering who was supposed to use it, believing its peripheral situation would prevent it from attracting any users. However, after only a year more than 12,000 cars used the bridge daily and before 1955 that number had increased fourfold, effectively using up all the capacity the bridge could offer. In 1955-56 the bridge was broadened 2 m, giving space to new bicycle lanes.
The increasing traffic following WWII continued to strain the capacity of Västerbron. Much of the north-southern traffic flow through the old city centre remained confined to the bridge until the inauguration in 1966 of Essingeleden
Essingeleden
Essingeleden is a motorway that goes from Solna to Stockholm, Sweden, crossing the westmost parts of central Stockholm, by going over Kungsholmen, Lilla Essingen, and Stora Essingen....
, the motorway running parallel to Västerbron about 1,5 km to the west. Today Västerbron is occasionally still acting as a reserve when Essingeleden is being closed off for repair and other reasons. From its opening Västerbron was an important passage way of Stockholm’s tram network
Stockholms Spårvägar
AB Stockholms Spårvägar , was a company founded in 1915 and owned by the City of Stockholm to coordinate and operate public transportation within the City...
until the last four lines of the network, one of them line 4 crossed over Västerbron, was closed in September 1967 simultaneously with the switch to right-hand side traffic
Dagen H
Dagen H , today mostly called "Högertrafikomläggningen" , was the day, 3 September 1967, on which traffic in Sweden switched from driving on the left-hand side of the road to the right...
.
In August 1993 a JAS 39 Gripen
JAS 39 Gripen
The Saab JAS 39 Gripen is a lightweight single-engine multirole fighter manufactured by the Swedish aerospace company Saab. It was designed to replace the Saab 35 Draken and 37 Viggen in the Swedish Air Force...
fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
crashed
Accidents and incidents involving the JAS 39 Gripen
The JAS 39 Gripen is a fighter aircraft manufactured by the Swedish aerospace company Saab.As of May 2010, five Gripens were destroyed in crashes, two of them before the delivery to the Swedish Air Force. These aircraft included one prototype, one production aircraft and three in service with the...
on Långholmen only a few meters from the bridge after a low altitude, low speed manoeuvre during an air show. The pilot ejected safely and only one person on the ground was lightly injured, despite tens of thousands of people standing by watching. Today a small, informal sculpture on the site of the crash, a paper plane
Paper plane
A paper plane, paper aeroplane , paper airplane , paper glider, paper dart or dart is a toy aircraft, usually a glider made out of paper or paperboard; the practice of constructing paper planes is sometimes referred to as aerogami , after origami, the Japanese art of paper folding.-History:The...
with its nose drilled into the soil, is commemorating the event. As a result of the accident, today air shows are forbidden over Riddarfjärden and no aircraft are allowed to pass under the bridge.
As of 2006 a dozen workers have been working for several years to treat the bridge against corrosive attacks.
Västerbron in Swedish culture
The singer and actress Monica Zetterlund
Monica Zetterlund
Eva Monica Zetterlund was a Swedish singer and actress.-Biography:Zetterlund was a singer particularly noted for her jazz work. She began by learning the classic jazz songs from radio and records, initially not knowing the language and what they sang about in English...
(1937–2005) mentions the bridge in one of her major hits Sakta vi gå genom stan (Swedish cover on Walking My Baby Back Home) in the now famous lyrics written by Beppe Wolgers
Beppe Wolgers
John Bertil "Beppe" Wolgers was a Swedish author, poet, translator, lyricist, actor, entertainer and artist.Wolgers was born in Stockholm...
: På Västerbron, i den himmelska ron, en spårvagn går ensam och tom. ("On Västerbron, in the heavenly peace, a tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
passes lonely and vacant."). Still today, many Stockholmers are having a hard time passing over the bridge without singing those lyrics.
Johan Dufour composed the piano piece Västerbron http://www.ubetoo.com/player.aspx?mediaid=19675 in 1989 while living at Kungsholmen.
Stockholm-based indie-band Laakso
Laakso
Laakso is a neighbourhood in Helsinki, Finland. Its borders are defined by the streets of Mannerheimintie and Nordenskiöldinkatu and the Helsinki Central Park...
lament a lost love on the bridge in their 2007 song bearing its name.
During the annual Stockholm Marathon
Stockholm Marathon
The Stockholm Marathon, known as the ASICS Stockholm Marathon for sponsorship reasons, is an annual marathon arranged in Stockholm, Sweden since 1979. It serves as the Swedish marathon championship race...
, the passage over Västerbron is known as one of the most exacting during the two laps around Stockholm. It is also the place where many choose to encourage friends and relatives participating in the run.
The view over Riddarfjärden makes the bridge a very popular spot for watching the New Year's Eve fireworks.
In March 2008, Anders Göthberg
Anders Göthberg
Anders Göthberg was a Swedish guitarist.Göthberg played guitar for Broder Daniel and Honey Is Cool. He lived his latter life in Stockholm with his girlfriend, artist Paola Bruna...
, guitarist in the Swedish cult indie band Broder Daniel
Broder Daniel
Broder Daniel was an alternative rock band from Gothenburg, Sweden. They formed in the late 1980s and then consisted of classmates Henrik Berggren and Daniel Gilbert...
committed suicide by jumping off the bridge.
Gallery
Image:Lilla Västerbron Stockholm.jpg|Northern section of the bridge passing over the park Rålambhovsparken.
Image:Vaesterbron 2.jpg
Image:Vasterbron_050701_01.JPG|Västerbron viewed from the Old town with Långholmen to the left and Kungsholmen to the right.
Image:Västerbron-Northern end.jpg
See also
- List of bridges in Stockholm
- LångholmsbronLångholmsbronLångholmsbron is a bridge in central Stockholm, Sweden. Connecting the major island Södermalm to the minor island Långholmen, it forms an extension to the street Bergsundsgatan....
- PålsundsbronPålsundsbronPålsundsbron is a bridge in central Stockholm, Sweden. Stretching over the small water course Pålsundet, the bridge connects the major island Södermalm to the minor island Långholmen....
- HornstullHornstullHornstull is an area in western Södermalm, Stockholm. Hornstull is actually the name of where the streets Hornsgatan and Långholmsgatan intersect...
- ReimersholmeReimersholmeReimersholme is a small island in central Stockholm, lying to the west of Södermalm and to the south of the neighbouring island Långholmen. As of 2006 Reimersholme is inhabited by 2,324 people, living in 1,527 dwellings, and with an average annual income of SEK 306,500. 12 percent of the...
External links
- Stockholmskällan - historical images of Västerbron.