The Triple Bridge ( sl, Tromostovje, in older sources also ''Tromostje'') is a group of three bridges across the
Ljubljanica
The Ljubljanica (), known in the Middle Ages as the ''Sava'', is a river in the southern part of the Ljubljana Basin in Slovenia. The capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana, lies on the river. The Ljubljanica rises south of the town of Vrhnika and flow ...
River. It connects
Ljubljana
Ljubljana (also known by other historical names) is the capital and largest city of Slovenia. It is the country's cultural, educational, economic, political and administrative center.
During antiquity, a Roman city called Emona stood in the ar ...
's historical medieval town on one bank and the modern city of
Ljubljana
Ljubljana (also known by other historical names) is the capital and largest city of Slovenia. It is the country's cultural, educational, economic, political and administrative center.
During antiquity, a Roman city called Emona stood in the ar ...
, the capital of
Slovenia
Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...
, on the other.
Design
The central bridge is partly built from
Glinica limestone. Other parts are built from
concrete
Concrete is a composite material composed of fine and coarse aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement (cement paste) that hardens (cures) over time. Concrete is the second-most-used substance in the world after water, and is the most wi ...
. The balustrades with 642 balusters are made of concrete. The platform is paved with
granite blocks laid in 2010. Previously, it was paved with
asphalt
Asphalt, also known as bitumen (, ), is a sticky, black, highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form of petroleum. It may be found in natural deposits or may be a refined product, and is classed as a pitch. Before the 20th century, the term a ...
.
History
There is mention of a wooden bridge in this location from 1280. It was at first called the ''Old Bridge'' () and later the ''Lower Bridge'' (), in contrast to the ''Upper Bridge'' that was built in the location of the nowadays
Cobblers' Bridge
The Cobblers' Bridge or the Shoemakers' Bridge ( sl, Čevljarski most or ) is a pedestrian bridge crossing the river Ljubljanica in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. It connects two major areas of medieval Ljubljana. It is decorated by two kinds ...
in the same century. It was also named the Špital Bridge () after the nearby
poorhouse
A poorhouse or workhouse is a government-run (usually by a county or municipality) facility to support and provide housing for the dependent or needy.
Workhouses
In England, Wales and Ireland (but not in Scotland), ‘workhouse’ has been the ...
, which was established in the early 14th century. It was built anew in 1657 after a fire.
In 1842, the Lower Bridge was replaced by a new bridge designed by
Giovanni Picco, an
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
architect from
Villach
Villach (; sl, Beljak; it, Villaco; fur, Vilac) is the seventh-largest city in Austria and the second-largest in the federal state of Carinthia. It is an important traffic junction for southern Austria and the whole Alpe-Adria region. , the po ...
, and named Franz's Bridge, () in honor of
Archduke Franz Karl of Austria
Archduke Franz Karl Joseph of Austria (17 December 1802 – 8 March 1878) was a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine. He was the father of two emperors: Franz Joseph I of Austria and Maximilian I of Mexico. Through his third son Karl Lu ...
. It also became known as the Franciscan Bridge (). This bridge, opened on 25 September 1842, had two arches and a metal fence. The essentials of the bridge have been preserved until today, which is evidenced by the inscribed dedication to the archduke above its central pier, reading in
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
"", which means "To Archduke Franz Karl in 1842 by the Town."
In order to prevent the 1842 stone
arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side. A viaduct ...
from being a
bottleneck
Bottleneck literally refers to the narrowed portion (neck) of a bottle near its opening, which limit the rate of outflow, and may describe any object of a similar shape. The literal neck of a bottle was originally used to play what is now known as ...
, the architect
Jože Plečnik
Jože Plečnik () (23 January 1872 – 7 January 1957) was a Slovene architect who had a major impact on the modern architecture of Vienna, Prague and of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, most notably by designing the iconic Triple Bridge an ...
designed in 1929 the extension of the bridge with two
footbridge
A footbridge (also a pedestrian bridge, pedestrian overpass, or pedestrian overcrossing) is a bridge designed solely for pedestrians.''Oxford English Dictionary'' While the primary meaning for a bridge is a structure which links "two points at a ...
s at a slight angle on each side of it. In collaboration with his student
Ciril Tavčar, who drew the plans, he published the proposal in the same year in the journal ''
Ljubljanski zvon
''Ljubljanski zvon'' (The Ljubljana Bell) was a journal published in Ljubljana in Slovene between 1881 and 1941. It was considered one of the most prestigious literary and cultural magazines in Slovenia.
Early period
The journal was founded in ...
''. Construction started in 1931 and continued until spring 1932. The bridge was opened for traffic in April 1932.
The bridge was renovated in 1992. Since 2007, all the three bridges have been part of the Ljubljana pedestrian-only zone.
Depictions
* A model of the bridge is displayed at
Mini-Europe
Mini-Europe is a miniature park located in ''Bruparck'', at the foot of the Atomium, in Brussels, Belgium. Mini-Europe has reproductions of monuments in the European Union and other countries within the continent of Europe on display, at a scale o ...
in
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
.
* On 23 January 2012, celebrating the 140th anniversary of Jože Plečnik's birth, a picture of the Triple Bridge was featured as an official
Google logo (Doodle) adaptation in Slovenia.
See also
Other bridges designed by Plečnik:
*
Butchers' Bridge
The Butchers' Bridge ( sl, Mesarski most) is a footbridge crossing the river Ljubljanica in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. It connects the Ljubljana Central Market and the Petkovšek Embankment (). The bridge was solemnly opened on 10 July ...
*
Cobblers' Bridge
The Cobblers' Bridge or the Shoemakers' Bridge ( sl, Čevljarski most or ) is a pedestrian bridge crossing the river Ljubljanica in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. It connects two major areas of medieval Ljubljana. It is decorated by two kinds ...
*
Rooster Bridge
The Rooster Bridge ( sl, Petelinji most, , ,Kocjan-Barle, Marta. 1994. ''Abeceda pravopisa: Vaje''. Ljubljana: DZS, p. 39. ''Tenente'') in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, is a footbridge crossing the Gradaščica River in the Trnovo District so ...
*
Ljubljanica Sluice Gate
The Ljubljanica Sluice Gate ( sl, Zapornica na Ljubljanici), or the Partition (), is a Sluice, sluice gate and a triumphal arch on the Ljubljanica River in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. It is located between Cukrarna (a former sugar factory) ...
*
Trnovo Bridge
The Trnovo Bridge ( sl, Trnovski most) is a bridge crossing the Gradaščica River in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. It is located in front of Trnovo Church at the end of Karun Street () to the south of the city centre and is a continuation ...
References
External links
44 international travelers sharing their experience of Triple Bridge on VirtualTurist.com
by the Burger.si
Youtube video on the Triple Bridgeby
InYourPocket travel guide
{{coord, 46, 03, 04, N, 14, 30, 22, E, region:SI-061_type:landmark, display=title
Bridges in Ljubljana
Bridges completed in 1932
Jože Plečnik buildings
Bridges over the Ljubljanica
Center District, Ljubljana
Arch bridges in Slovenia
Pedestrian bridges in Slovenia
Art Nouveau architecture in Ljubljana
Art Nouveau bridges