Eiffel Bridge

Eiffel Bridge (also known as "Great Bridge") was a steel bridge located in Zrenjanin, Serbia. It was crossing the Begej river and was built at the same time as the Small bridge.

History

First Great Bridge was made of wood. It was a bascule bridge, built in 1807. In 1903, city authorities ordered project for the new, steel bridge from the Gustave Eiffel's company in Paris. Old wooden bridge was removed and construction works started in the late 1903. In spring 1904, the new Great Bridge was finished. It was officially named "Erzsébeth-híd" / "Elisabeth Brücke" ("Elisabeth Bridge"), after late Austro-Hungarian empress Elisabeth.

The Great Bridge represented the most prominent example of Secession style bridges in Vojvodina. Functional and artistically valuable at the same time, the bridge was equipped with a system of levers that could raise its level for approximately 2 meters. The arcs of the bridge were backed by monumental columns decorated with geometrical and floral motifs. It was connecting Trg Republike (Republic Square) and Žitni trg (Wheat Square).

After World War I, new authorities renamed the bridge into "Dositejev most" (Доситејев мост), after Dositej Obradović.

Removal

During 1960s, local Communist authorities tried many times to remove the bridge. Finally, in 1969, they removed it because of, as told, "new urbanistical plans". The bridge was cut into pieces and replaced with a new, concrete bridge.

Today

At the place of the former Eiffel Bridge today is pedestrian bridge, built in 1971. Some ornaments of the former bridge can still be seen today within the area of the "Begej" shipyard. Memory at the famous bridge stayed in a song "Bečkerečka ćuprija" ("The Bridge of Bečkerek") from the early 20th century, where it is said that the bridge is "as tight as a box". "Four fat horses" mentioned in the song are depicted on a mural at the main city's boulevard.

2008

City authorities of Zrenjanin plan to re-construct this bridge according to original plans. It will be the same as of 1904. Plans are saved, since the bridge was made in steel factory in Reşiţa, Romania.

Trivia

*For sixty years, Great and Small bridges were only bridges in Zrenjanin (until 1962).
*There is also another bridge projected by Gustav Eiffel that shares the same name in Viana do Castelo, Portugal.

References

* [http://www.zrenjanin.org.yu/aktuelno/PovratakAjfelovogMosta2008.htm Re-construction of Eiffel Bridge in 2008] (in Serbian)

ee also

*Zrenjanin

External links

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C67dipog8Eo Removing the bridge]