- Address: Årstaviken, 117 43 Stockholm, Sweden
Since the capital of Sweden is a city spread over 14 islands, it is not surprising that one of the main attractions of Stockholm can be considered bridges connecting the land between each other. Against the background of others, the Arstabroarn bridges are very advantageous, along which about 500 trains run daily, and the annual flow of tourists crossing them is about 50 million people.
The history of building bridges
In Arstabroarna there are 2 railway bridges, one of them is called the East Bridge, the second is the Western Bridge. In 1929, according to the project of the Swedish architect Cyril Johanson, the East Bridge Årsta Bridge was built. The engineers of the idea of its construction were engineers Ernst Nilsson and Solomon Kazarnovsky. The western (or New) bridge was designed by the famous English architect Sir Norman Foster. It was opened in August 2005, at the solemn ceremony there was the King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustav.
What are the interesting bridges of Arstabroarne?
Let's consider in more detail both bridges:
- East Bridge. According to the idea, it resembles the classical Roman aqueduct, towering above the waters of the river at an altitude of 26 m, which helps to avoid interference with active navigation in this area of Arvstiken. In the center of the bridge stands a metal structure in the shape of an arch with a span of 100 m. At the time of construction, the Eastern Bridge was the longest in the country (753 m). The design is very reliable, it is used exclusively in rail transport and is a historical landmark of Stockholm .
- The Western Bridge. It is an elegant design, perfectly in harmony with the surrounding landscapes. The width of this bridge is 2 times wider than the eastern bridge, and its length is 833 m. The western bridge has strong supports, and besides the railway tracks, along it there is also a highway, there are pedestrian and bicycle paths. A distinctive feature of the new bridge is the red-brown color, which was typical for country houses of the 16th century. in Sweden. To paint the bridge, an innovative system was used and 360 tons of iron pigment, resistant to weather phenomena. However, the locals did not approve of the aesthetic taste of the developers of the project, in connection with which this bridge was called Falukorven (this is a local sort of smoked sausage, similar in color to the Western bridge).
How to get there?
Bridges of Arstabroarn are located in the center of the Swedish capital, located above the riverbed of the Arstaviken River and connect one of the largest islands of Stockholm Sedermalm with the southern part of the city, located on the mainland. To see this landmark, you need to fly to the Swedish capital, and from the island of Södermalm take a train to the south of the city.