Union Bridge is a bridge on

Union Street Union Street may refer to: United Kingdom * Union Street, Aberdeen, Scotland *Union Street, East Sussex, between Ticehurst and Flimwell *Union Street, London * Union Street, Plymouth, Devon *Union Street, Reading, Berkshire United States * Un ...

, Aberdeen, Scotland. It is the largest single-span granite bridge in the world, at 130 feet (40 metres). It was built by Thomas Fletcher under some influence from Thomas Telford. It is a Category B listed building with Historic Scotland.

History

Constructed from 1801–05 as part of Union Street under plans suggested by Charles Abercrombie, it was intended to provide an impressive approach into the city from the south (and west); previously the route had been somewhat circuitous. The bridge crosses the Denburn valley, and

Union Terrace Gardens Union Terrace Gardens is a public park and gardens situated on Union Terrace in Aberdeen, Scotland. The gardens The sunken gardens opened to the public in 1879, and cover approximately two and a half acres . The space is bounded to the no ...

. Alongside the gardens are a dual carriageway and single railway track; originally there was a small roadway and considerable railway workings, with the site being a short distance north of Aberdeen railway station. The bridge was widened in 1908, in a scheme of

William Diack William is a masculine given name of Norman French origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conques ...

, with Benjamin Baker as consultant, shortly before the latter's death. Steel side spans which carry today's pavements were introduced, as were the famous "Kelly's cats", black cast metal

leopard The leopard (''Panthera pardus'') is one of the five extant species in the genus '' Panthera'', a member of the cat family, Felidae. It occurs in a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa, in some parts of Western and Central Asia, Southern Russia, a ...

s which sit along the balustrade. The 'cats' were cast by William Wilson and added to the bridge in 1910. The name Kelly’s Cats is actually a misnomer as only the decorative bronze friezes, installed on the bridge in 1908, were designed by the Aberdeen architect William Kelly. The southern side of the bridge, including the cats, was hidden, and the view lost, when shops were constructed along it in the 1960s. These later became part of the Trinity Centre. The road and railways continue to run under the shops. The southern balustrade was moved to Duthie Park. Makeshift fencing was installed along the bridge in 2016 in an attempt to deter people from dying by

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...

. A permanent barrier is due to be completed in 2021 as part of works to redevelop the adjacent

References

{{coord, 57, 08, 45, N, 2, 06, 06, W, type:landmark_region:GB, display=title Bridges in Aberdeen Category B listed buildings in Aberdeen Listed bridges in Scotland Bridges completed in 1805 1805 establishments in Scotland