The Waagner-Biro Bridge in Genichesk
Type: Industrial object
Country: Ukraine Region: Kherson region
Availability: State, Available for visits, Good road, Emergency condition
The construction of this bridge was developed during the First World War by the Austrian engineer Friedrich Roth. Fourteen such bridges were built before World War II. They were built by the Vienna engineering company “Waagner-Biró”. In 1854, it was founded by the Austrian Waagner and the Hungarian Biró and began constructing different metal structures.
The company still exists and took part in the construction of hundreds of modern architectural masterpieces. For example, the new dome over the Bundestag in Berlin, the dome of the British Museum, scenes for the Sydney Opera House and many others.
The “Wagner Roth” system is notable for the fact that bridges of this type were constructed aweight. It was very expensive, but pretty fast – it was possible to build up to 26 meters in a day. At the top of the bridge was a lifting installation similar to a crane. It moved as the object lengthened. The elements that make up the structure were assembled according to the principle of the modern “Lego” construction.
A bridge of this construction came to Genichesk from Belarus – it was built during the war by German engineers over the Dnieper in the city of Orsha. And in 1951 it was transferred to Genichesk, where it was necessary to restore the damaged railway bridge across the Tonky Strait to the Arabat Spit.
In 1968, a storm virtually destroyed both the railway and the bridge. They did not begin to restore all this things and the bridge became automobile. Later, at a distance of about half a kilometer, a concrete bridge was built over the strait.
At the moment, the bridge can be called operational, but it is rather a club of interests – the entire bridge is occupied by fishermen. They say that cars drive it too (I believe with pleasure, but I wouldn’t go myself).
Based on the materials 1, 2, 3.