Princes Bridge (Melbourne)

Infobox Bridge

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bridge_name=Princes Bridge
official_name=Princes Bridge
locale=Melbourne, Australia
carries=Trams, road vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists
crosses=Yarra River
open=4 October, 1888
below=
design=Arch bridge
mainspan=
length=
width=

The Princes Bridge is a historic bridge that crosses the Yarra River in Melbourne, Australia. The bridge connects Swanston Street on Yarra River's northern bank to St Kilda Road on the southern bank, and carries both road and tram traffic. The bridge is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register

This bridge is the third to have existed on this site, the first being a wooden trestle bridge which opened in 1844," [http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/rsrc/PDFs/History/Historydates.pdf Some significant dates in the History of the City of Melbourne] ", " [http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au City of Melbourne] "] later replaced by a single span sandstone bridge designed by David Lennox which opened in 1851." [http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/rsrc/PDFs/History/Historydates.pdf Some significant dates in the History of the City of Melbourne] ", " [http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au City of Melbourne] "] The sandstone bridge was at the time the longest single span bridge in the world, and lasted for a 35 years until an increase in traffic across the bridge and the need to widen the river, required that a longer bridge was built.

The present bridge is named after Edward, Prince of Wales, [cite web
url=http://www.heritage.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahpi/record.pl?RNE5202
title=Princes Bridge
work=Victorian Heritage Register
publisher=www.heritage.gov.au
accessdate=2008-07-08] and was built between 1886 and 1888 by David Munro. It was designed by John Grainger (1855-1917), the father of the Australian composer Percy Grainger, and was opened on 4 October 1888.

Princes Bridge is 30 metres (99 ft) wide and 120 metres (400 ft) long, with bluestone squat half columns resting on piers supporting the three iron girder arches. The coat of arms on the bridge belong to the municipal councils who contributed towards the cost of construction. Other design features include an elaborate balustrade along the top of the bridge, and lamp standards crowning each pier. [cite web
url=http://www.heritage.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahpi/record.pl?RNE5202
title=Princes Bridge
work=Register of the National Estate
publisher=www.heritage.gov.au
accessdate=2008-07-08] The bridge underwent a restoration before the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

References

External links

* [http://www.fedsquare.com.au/index.cfm?pageID=26 Federation Square web site] History of the Federation Square site, including a PDF file documenting some of the history of Princes Bridge.
* [http://www.360travelguide.com/360VirtualTour.asp?iCode=mel06 Panoramic virtual tour from Princes Bridge]