Langebro (literally "Long Bridge") is a

bascule bridge A bascule bridge (also referred to as a drawbridge or a lifting bridge) is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances a span, or leaf, throughout its upward swing to provide clearance for boat traffic. It may be single- or ...

across the Inner Harbour of

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establishe ...

, connecting

Zealand Zealand ( da, Sjælland ) at 7,031 km2 is the largest and most populous island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larger in size). Zealand had a population of 2,319,705 on 1 January 2020. It is th ...

side H. C. Andersens Boulevard to Amagerside

Amager Boulevard Amager Boulevard is a street on Amager in Copenhagen, Denmark. It begins at Langebro Bridge and initially follows Stadsgraven east to a Y-junction from where it continues inland to Amagerbrogade while the street Ved Stadsgraven continues alon ...

. It is one of only two bridges to carry motor vehicles across the harbour in central Copenhagen, the other being

Knippelsbro Knippelsbro (English: Knippel Bridge) is a bascule bridge across the Inner Harbour of Copenhagen, Denmark, connecting Børsgade (English: Stock Exchange Street) on Zealand-side Slotsholmen to Torvegade (English: Market Street) on Christianshavn. ...

History

1690: The first Langebro

Completed in 1690, the first bridge located roughly where Langebro is today was known as Kalvebodbro (Kalvebod Bridge) and connected the Western Rampart's Rysensteen Bastion on Zealand with Christianshavn Rampart's Christianshavns Vold#Kalvebod Bastion on

Christianshavn Christianshavn (literally, " ingChristian's Harbour") is a neighbourhood in Copenhagen, Denmark. Part of the Indre By District, it is located on several artificial islands between the islands of Zealand and Amager and separated from the rest of ...

. It was a wooden structure with a

drawbridge A drawbridge or draw-bridge is a type of moveable bridge typically at the entrance to a castle or tower surrounded by a moat. In some forms of English, including American English, the word ''drawbridge'' commonly refers to all types of moveable ...

in the middle that allowed ships to pass. The bridge was built for the military but was also open to civilian pedestrians. The bridge was refurbished several times. It was widened in 1875–76.

1903: The Swing Bridge

Plans for a new Langebro were first presented in 1885 but not realized until 1903. The new bridge was located 400 ft to the south of the old one, Vestre Boulevard (now H. C. Andersens Boulevard) and connected to the

on the other side of the harbor. It was a

swing bridge A swing bridge (or swing span bridge) is a movable bridge that has as its primary structural support a vertical locating pin and support ring, usually at or near to its center of gravity, about which the swing span (turning span) can then p ...

resting on nine stone pillars. The swing bridge was both used for both trams and the Amagerbanen railroad.

1939: The temporary bridge

With growing automobile traffic, the new bridge soon became outdated and a new temporary bridge was constructed in 1930. The bridge was subject to sabotage on 23 March 1945.

1954

The temporary bridge was replaced by the current Langebro in 1954.

Lille Langebro

Lille Langebro Lille Langebro ( en, Little long bridge), is located close to and named after the Langebro bridge, is a walking and cycling bridge in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was designed by WilkinsonEyre and it is classified as a double-swing bridge. The uniqu ...

pedestrian and cycling bridge north of Langebro was completed in 2019.

Cultural references

* Søren Kierkegaard's pseudonymous author, Hilarius Bookbinder, mentions the bridge in ''

Stages on Life's Way ''Stages on Life's Way'' ( da, Stadier på Livets Vej; historical orthography: ''Stadier paa Livets Vej'') is a philosophical work by Søren Kierkegaard written in 1845. The book was written as a continuation of Kierkegaard's prior work ''Either/ ...

'' (1845): "Langebro ong Bridgehas its name from its length; that is, as a bridge it is long but is not much as a roadway, as one easily finds out by passing over it. Then when one is standing on the other side in Christianshavn, it in turn seems that the bridge must nevertheless be long, because one is far, very far away from Copenhagen." (''Stages on Life's Way'' p. 259) * ''Langebro'' is a

play Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * P ...

Hans Christian Andersen Hans Christian Andersen ( , ; 2 April 1805 – 4 August 1875) was a Danish author. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, he is best remembered for his literary fairy tales. Andersen's fairy tales, consist ...

, named for the bridge in Copenhagen. * The Danish-American 1961 giant monster film ''

Reptilicus ''Reptilicus'' is a 1961 Danish-American Monster film, giant monster film about a prehistoric reptile. The film was produced by Cinemagic and Saga Studio and separate versions were released in Denmark and in the United States, with American Inter ...

''includes Scenes from a panic-stricken Langebro are featured in. * Langebro is seen in many of the ''

Olsen-banden The ''Olsen Gang'' ( da, Olsen-banden, no, Olsenbanden, german: Die Olsenbande) is a Denmark, Danish comedy film series created by Danish director Erik Balling and special effects expert Henning Bahs about the eponymous fictional criminal gang. T ...

'' films, including ''

The Olsen Gang The ''Olsen Gang'' ( da, Olsen-banden, no, Olsenbanden, german: Die Olsenbande) is a Danish comedy film series created by Danish director Erik Balling and special effects expert Henning Bahs about the eponymous fictional criminal gang. The gang ...

'', '' The Olsen Gang in a Fix'' (1:14:47) and '' The Olsen Gang on the Track'' (1:29:16). * " Langebro" is the name of

Gasolin Gasolin' were a Danish rock band from Christianshavn, Copenhagen, formed by Kim Larsen, Franz Beckerlee, and Wili Jønsson in 1969. Their first drummer was the late Bjørn Uglebjerg. He was replaced by Søren Berlev in 1971. At their formatio ...

's 1971 adaption of

Joan Baez Joan Chandos Baez (; born January 9, 1941) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist. Her contemporary folk music often includes songs of protest and social justice. Baez has performed publicly for over 60 years, releasing more ...

's version of

Geordie Geordie () is a nickname for a person from the Tyneside area of North East England, and the dialect used by its inhabitants, also known in linguistics as Tyneside English or Newcastle English. There are different definitions of what constitute ...

, where the setting is shifted from London to Copenhagen and Langebro takes the place of London Bridge.

Gallery

File:Langebro control tower.jpg, Langebro Control Tower, seen from southeast File:Langebro control tower east-southeast.jpg, Langebro Control Tower, seen from east-southeast

References

External links

Source/Unage
{{Bridges in Copenhagen Bridges in Copenhagen Arch bridges in Denmark Bascule bridges Road bridges in Denmark Former railway bridges Listed bridges in Denmark Listed transport buildings and structures in Copenhagen Bridges completed in 1954 1954 establishments in Denmark Port of Copenhagen