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This is the section most
Stockholmers would call "Västerbron proper". It consists of two arches together encompassing slightly more than 600 m, including the viaducts in either side. The southern arch next to Långholmen has a span of 204 m and, stretching over the navigable passage underneath, a
493:
A sunken rock north of the navigable course in
Riddarfjärden, appropriate for a bridge foundation, finally convinced the city council to commission the port authorities to launch an international competition for a bridge passing over the rock. The competition produced no less than 72 different
533:
and while the bridge was being built many people were wondering who was supposed to use it, believing its peripheral situation would prevent it from attracting any users. However, after only a year more than 12,000 cars used the bridge daily and before 1955 that number had increased fourfold,
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on Långholmen only a few meters from the bridge after a low altitude, low speed manoeuvre during an air show. The pilot ejected safely and only one person on the ground was injured, despite tens of thousands of people standing by watching. Today a small, sculpture on the site of the crash, a
318:, the old town. Its inauguration on 20 November 1935 made it the second stationary connection between the southern and northern parts of the city, saving the citizens the effort of a ferry ride, which had previously been required, or the congested detour through Gamla stan.
550:, the motorway running parallel to Västerbron about 1.5 km to the west. Today, Västerbron is occasionally still acting as a reserve when Essingeleden is being closed off for repair and other reasons. From its opening Västerbron was an important passageway of
411:. It was built at the same time as Västerbron over Riddarfjärden and forms a continuous structure with it, both bridges having the same width and being made entirely in steel. It was the first major bridge in Sweden with a welded steel superstructure.
387:
vertical clearance of 26 m. The northern arch is smaller, with a span of 168 m. This section is 24 m wide with a 19-metre-wide (62 ft) roadway flanked by 2.5-metre-wide (8.2 ft) pavements, dimensions applying to the other sections as well.
454:
The first proposal for a bridge connecting
Kungsholmen with Långholmen was made in 1903 when plans to relocate the main northern railway passing through Stockholm to the west of the central city were discussed. The proposal mainly focused on a
466:
The relocation of the railway was finally brought up again and in 1925 three alternative designs for a road-rail bridge were produced, with a street bridge passing alternatively to the east, to the west, or above the railway.
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The increasing traffic following WWII continued to strain the capacity of Västerbron. Much of the north-southern traffic flow through the old city centre remained confined to the bridge until the inauguration in 1966 of
314:. With a total length exceeding 600 m, 340 m of which stretches over water, it is one of the major bridges in Stockholm, offering one of the most panoramic views of the central part of the city centering on
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662:, the passage over Västerbron is known as one of the most exciting during the two laps around Stockholm. It is also the place where many choose to encourage friends and relatives participating in the run.
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area have been transformed into a popular recreational area. The space under the bridge is being used for parked trailers in summer, while acting as winter quarters for boats during the dark season.
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with its nose drilled into the soil, is commemorating the event. As a result of the accident, today air shows are forbidden over
Riddarfjärden and no aircraft are allowed to pass under the bridge.
717:
438:, the major traffic route leading to the western suburbs. Originally this section was suggested as an embankment cutting the park in two with only a small bridge leading over
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was probably meant to emphasize the technical feasibility of such a bridge. The project was included in a proposal in 1905 but was not mentioned again before the 1920s.
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effectively using up all the capacity the bridge could offer. In 1955–56 the bridge was broadened 2 m, giving space for new bicycle lanes.
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Steel beam for Västerbron in
Stockholm, manufactured by Ekensberg's shipyard in 1933. Engineers Pirra and Jacoby examining the machinery.
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below. Because of the poor carrying capacity of the soil, the embankment plans were substituted by the present concrete structure, a
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however and, as the traffic in
Stockholm at the time hardly could motivate a bridge of such dimensions, proposing a
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607:(1907–1948) gave a detailed account of the life of the workers who took part in the construction of the bridge.
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As of 2006 a dozen workers have been working for several years to treat the bridge against corrosive attacks.
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The view over
Riddarfjärden makes the bridge a very popular spot for watching the New Year's Eve fireworks.
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874:(1st ed.). Uppsala: Stockholms gatukontor and Kommittén för Stockholmsforskning. pp. 198–200.
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399:, this section stretches over 276 m, including viaducts, forming the southern arch leading over
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Västerbron viewed from the Old town with Långholmen to the left and
Kungsholmen to the right.
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Two much smaller bridges allow cars and pedestrians to reach Långholmen, where the former
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on Västerbron in 1996. In 2007, Västerbron was pictured on the cover of their album
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482:, two other alternatives were considered; One further west, between Långholmen and
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With its west-eastern direction, this section stretches some 243 m over the parc
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506:. The winner of the competition in 1930 was the German team of the architects
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896:"Coping with a Credibility Crisis: The Stockholm JAS Fighter Crash of 1993"
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crossed over Västerbron, was closed in
September 1967 simultaneously with
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Västerbron was built simultaneously to the then modern traffic centre at
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Northern section of the bridge passing over the park Rålambhovsparken.
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lament a lost love on the bridge in their 2007 song bearing its name.
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While most agreed the southern part of the bridge should connect with
905:, p. 27. Swedish National Defence College. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
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På Västerbron, i den himmelska ron, en spårvagn går ensam och tom.
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Stockholms tekniska historia: Trafik, broar, tunnelbanor, gator
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filmed parts of the music video for their breakthrough single
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until the last four lines of the network, one of them line
614:(1937–2005) mentions the bridge in one of her major hits
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Published simultaneously to the inauguration, the novel
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Dufwa, Arne (1985). "Broar och viadukter: Västerbron".
518:. The final design was approved by the city in 1931.
326:
Västerbron can be said to consist of three sections:
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A woman was hospitalized for three weeks for burns.
603:("People round a bridge") by the proletarian author
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676:committed suicide by jumping off the bridge.
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672:, guitarist in the Swedish cult indie band
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194:Birger Borgström, David Dahl, Paul Hedqvist
632:("On Västerbron, in the heavenly peace, a
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771:A skate park under the Little Västerbron
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347:– a simple arch bridge stretching over
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735:Västerbron's bridge span on Långholmen
624:) in the now famous lyrics written by
648:in 1989 while living at Kungsholmen.
560:the switch to right-hand side traffic
80:Motor vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians
7:
569:The JAS monument next to Västerbron.
541:Västerbron during construction 1933.
920:- historical images of Västerbron.
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759:View from Långholmen facing north
422:Västerbron over Rålambshovsparken
355:Västerbron over Rålambshovsparken
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222:Salomon Kasarnowsky, E. Nilsson
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1:
981:1935 establishments in Sweden
636:passes lonely and vacant.").
595:Västerbron in Swedish culture
382:Västerbron over Riddarfjärden
361:construction stretching from
331:Västerbron over Riddarfjärden
199:Successful competition design
783:List of bridges in Stockholm
689:Kräm (så nära får ingen gå)
651:Stockholm-based indie-band
16:Bridge in Stockholm, Sweden
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711:A tram on the bridge, 1940
474:on Södermalm passing over
257:20 November 1935
152:602 m (1,975 ft)
976:Bridges completed in 1935
642:composed the piano piece
621:Walking My Baby Back Home
446:slab carried by pillars.
391:Västerbron over Pålsundet
345:Västerbron over Pålsundet
273:
28:
552:Stockholm’s tram network
160:204 m (669 ft)
610:The singer and actress
430:from the roundabout at
693:Tillbaka till samtiden
616:Sakta vi gå genom stan
601:Människor kring en bro
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508:Otto Rudolf Salvisberg
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203:Otto Rudolf Salvisberg
181:26 m (85 ft)
942:59.32444°N 18.02722°E
833:Stockholm City Museum
568:
540:
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971:Bridges in Stockholm
490:much further north.
395:Previously known as
371:Drottningsholmsvägen
938: /
494:designs, including
436:Drottningholmsvägen
61:59.3244°N 18.0272°E
57: /
947:59.32444; 18.02722
901:2013-05-21 at the
825:Samfundet S:t Erik
660:Stockholm Marathon
658:During the annual
618:(Swedish cover of
571:
543:
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297:the western bridge
238:Construction start
230:Dortmunder Union,
612:Monica Zetterlund
573:In August 1993 a
428:Rålambshovsparken
416:Långholmen prison
367:Rålambshovsparken
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681:Alternative Rock
578:fighter aircraft
488:Sankt Eriksgatan
461:road-rail bridge
440:Rålambshovsleden
359:girderless floor
337:stretching over
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246:Construction end
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66:59.3244; 18.0272
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668:In March 2008,
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177:Clearance below
126:Characteristics
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831:(in Swedish).
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472:Långholmsgatan
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788:Långholmsbron
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575:JAS 39 Gripen
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504:cable bridges
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432:Västerbroplan
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363:Västerbroplan
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339:Riddarfjärden
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966:Arch bridges
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836:. Retrieved
829:"Västerbron"
803:Reimersholme
793:Pålsundsbron
679:The Swedish
678:
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650:
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640:Johan Dufour
638:
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548:Essingeleden
544:
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496:arch bridges
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397:Pålsundsbron
394:
385:
375:Fridhemsplan
354:
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330:
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279:
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157:Longest span
149:Total length
945: /
586:paper plane
333:– with two
306:in central
304:arch bridge
254:Inaugurated
135:Arch bridge
110:Kungsholmen
64: /
39:Coordinates
960:Categories
933:18°01′38″E
930:59°19′28″N
809:References
644:Västerbron
484:Smedsudden
480:Rålambshov
476:Långholmen
444:girderless
409:Långholmen
316:Gamla stan
282:Västerbron
261:1935-11-20
52:18°01′38″E
49:59°19′28″N
23:Västerbron
798:Hornstull
405:Södermalm
401:Pålsundet
349:Pålsundet
308:Stockholm
191:Architect
120:Södermalm
99:Stockholm
899:Archived
777:See also
322:Sections
302:) is an
269:Location
168:of spans
141:Material
101:, Sweden
838:6 March
698:Gallery
581:crashed
531:Slussen
450:History
291:
259: (
186:History
85:Crosses
77:Carries
878:
653:Laakso
502:, and
312:Sweden
131:Design
106:Begins
95:Locale
683:band
403:from
373:near
365:over
335:spans
144:Steel
876:ISBN
840:2021
685:Kent
634:tram
514:and
357:– a
288:lit.
249:1935
241:1931
116:Ends
434:to
407:to
369:to
166:No.
962::
848:^
827:.
816:^
628::
510:,
498:,
310:,
209:,
205:,
884:.
842:.
562:.
556:4
377:.
351:.
341:.
300:'
294:'
286:(
263:)
171:2
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