TORUN's BRIDGES

In this post I'm going to give you an interesting view on the little known story of the Torun's existing bridges. Let's start with the oldest one - the iron railway bridge.

It was built between 1870 and 1873, as an important part of the Prussian communication system (Berlin-Poznan-Olsztyn-Wystruć in East Prussia). In addition to communication functions, at the end of the XIX century, it served a vital role in the fortifications of the Lower Vistula.

Postcard:

View of the railway bridge from the city, about 1915, MT/HN/1368/478, 485

Above the main stream of the river it was built of five large spans, and above he banks eleven smaller ones. It contained a railway track, a narrow street and a sidewalk for pedestrians.

Postcard:

View of the entrance of the bridge, before 1920, MT/HN/1368/492

Bridge was strengthened as part of the fortifications – it had watch rooms and closing gates. It also had decorations in the form of 20-meters high symetrical towers on both ends. The towers were adorned by four big statues - of Prussian king Frideric II and ceasar Wilhelm I on one side and Teutonic Masters Herman Balk and Hermann von Saltza. These sculptures - symbols of Prussian rule - were dismantled in 1920, and well as the towers in the 50s of the XX century.

During the II World War it was blown up by retreating Polish troops in 1939, rebuilt by the Germans using the work of Polish prisoners, only to be blown up by the Germans in 1945. Reconstructed in 1948.

In 1999, the bridge was named after Ernest Malinowski – the creator of the Peruvian railway track placed on the highest altitude in the world.

The second bridge - iron road bridge

The idea of building a new road bridge was established in 1913. Due to the difficult economic situation the decision to build a bridge, using materials from the demolition of a bridge in Opalen, was taken not until 1927. The elements were brought by ships and over 300 workers participated in the construction. It consists of 3 big spans and is 898 meters long.

Photo of the construction period, 1930-1931, MT/HN/1446, MT/HN/1445

The bridge was given the name of Józef Piłsudski (a Polish independence activist from the I World War) and launched for Christmas 1932.

Postcard:

View of the road bridge destroyed in 1939, MT/HN/1368/510

During the II World War it underwent the same story as the railway brigde, however this suffered more serious damage. 

Reconstruction of the railway bridge, source: OrbiTorunPL

That's why, after the first blown up, only a detour bridge was built and the proper brigde was reconstruted only in 1946-49.

Picture:

Torun - road bridge, Kalina, Otto, 1943, MT/M/141/SN

Today the bridge is used heavily, with about 40 000 vehices crossing it daily. That is why a new brigde is being now build close to the existing ones, which will make the city more accesible. I'll cover more on that soon!

Photo:

Current view ot the Pilsudski bridge

(bibliography: material prepared by Katarzyna Kluczwajd

from the Regional Museum in Toruń and archives of the Museum)