The Chaloem Sawan 58 Bridge (

Thai Thai or THAI may refer to: * Of or from Thailand, a country in Southeast Asia ** Thai people, the dominant ethnic group of Thailand ** Thai language, a Tai-Kadai language spoken mainly in and around Thailand *** Thai script *** Thai (Unicode block ...

: สะพานเฉลิมสวรรค์ ๕๘) was a bridge crossing the northern end of

Khlong Khu Mueang Doem Rattanakosin Island ( th, เกาะรัตนโกสินทร์, , ) is a historic area in the Phra Nakhon District in the city of Bangkok, Thailand. It is bordered by the Chao Phraya River to the west and various canals to the east t ...

( th, คลองคูเมืองเดิม)), or old

moat A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that is dug and surrounds a castle, fortification, building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive ...

, in Phra Nakhon District,

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...

. The bridge, built in the axis of

Phra Athit Road Phra Athit Road ( th, ถนนพระอาทิตย์, , ; lit: ''"Sun Road"'') is located along Chao Phraya River to the northeast. Back in the past this road was full with important buildings such as houses of nobility and mansions as res ...

(

: ถนนพระอาทิตย์), was opened on 23 October 1912 by

King Vajiravudh Vajiravudh ( th, วชิราวุธ, , 1 January 188126 November 1925) was the sixth monarch of Siam under the Chakri dynasty as Rama VI. He ruled from 23 October 1910 until his death in 1925. King Vajiravudh is best known for his efforts ...

(Rama VI), two years after his father's death,

King Chulalongkorn Chulalongkorn ( th, จุฬาลงกรณ์, 20 September 1853 – 23 October 1910) was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, titled Rama V. He was known to the Siamese of his time as ''Phra Phuttha Chao Luang'' (พร� ...

(Rama V). Last structure to be built of the Chaloem Bridges Series, which numbered seventeen, it "''was dedicated to

King Rama V Chulalongkorn ( th, จุฬาลงกรณ์, 20 September 1853 – 23 October 1910) was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, titled Rama V. He was known to the Siamese of his time as ''Phra Phuttha Chao Luang'' (พร� ...

'' ''by

King Rama VI Vajiravudh ( th, วชิราวุธ, , 1 January 188126 November 1925) was the sixth monarch of Siam under the Chakri dynasty as Rama VI. He ruled from 23 October 1910 until his death in 1925. King Vajiravudh is best known for his effort ...

'' ''on his father's 58th birthday''". The bridge had four pillars, one at each corner, that were topped by the royal cypher of

: "จปร" which stands for "มหาจุฬาลงกรณ์ ปรมราชาธิราช"( ; lit: ''"Chulalongkorn The Great, The Mighty King"''). The name of the bridge was inscribed on two opposite sides at the square base of each pillar as well as the foundation date of the bridge on the two other sides as related to the Rattanakosin Era: "ศก ๑๓๐", meaning the 130th year of the Rattanakosin Era. The

trams A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...

of the Dusit Line (

: สายดุสิต) used to cross the bridge linking the

(

: ถนนพระอาทิตย์) with the Rachini Alley (

: ถนนราชินี) until 23 December 1963 when the line was cut between the

Bangkok National Museum The Bangkok National Museum ( th, พิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติ พระนคร, ) is the main branch museum of the National Museums in Thailand and also one of the largest museums in Southeast Asia. It featu ...

and Baan Maliwan (now the offices of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization). It was dismantled in 1971 when the

Phra Pinklao bridge The Somdet Phra Pinklao Bridge ( th, สะพานสมเด็จพระปิ่นเกล้า, , ) is a bridge near the Grand Palace over the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Thailand. It links Rattanakosin Island with Thonburi. Backg ...

was built at that spot. At that time, th
Association of Siamese Architects
(ASA) and th
Society for the Conservation Of National Treasure and Environment
(SCONTE) called for the conservation of the structure to the Bangkok Municipality who "''agreed to re-erect the bridge at an appropriate place''". Part of the bridge structure was supposed to be rebuilt in

Lumphini Park Lumphini Park ( th, สวนลุมพินี, , ), also Lumpini or Lumpinee, is a 360 rai () park in Bangkok, Thailand. The park offers rare open public space, trees, and playgrounds in the Thai capital and contains an artificial lake w ...

but due to budgetary constraints this did not materialize.Thanwanorn, Samakorn (1973). Chalerm Sawan 58 Bridge. Bangkok, Thailand: Land Survey And Map DivisionField research at Lumphini Park on Friday 25th, August 2017: Survey at the Lumphini Park main office and inspection of every bridge It was planned instead to use the structure to extend the Chang Rongsi Bridge but this project was also abandoned.

Notes

"Chaloem" is also frequently found spelled as "Chalerm". The northern part of "Khlong Khu Mueang Doem" was formerly known as "Khlong Rongmai" (). "Khlong Khu Mueang Doem" is also called popularly "Khlong Lord" (). The Chaloem Bridges Series started when King Rama V decided in 1894 to annually donate a sum of money to construct a bridge to commemorate his birthday. The first bridge to be opened was in 1895 ending in 1912 with the Chaloem Sawan 58 Bridge. The loop around

Rattanakosin Island Rattanakosin Island ( th, เกาะรัตนโกสินทร์, , ) is a historic area in the Phra Nakhon District in the city of Bangkok, Thailand. It is bordered by the Chao Phraya River to the west and various canals to the east t ...

was known as the "Kamphaeng Mueang Line" ()

Notes

See also

References

Further reading and external links