Ústí nad Labem’s Mariánský Bridge celebrates 25th anniversary
Completed on 30 July 1998, the bridge’s bold architectural design sparked interest and admiration all over the world, winning the European Steel Design Awards among other prizes and accolades.
Mariánský most, or Mariánský Bridge, is the first thing you are likely to see when you enter the north Bohemian city of Ústí nad Labem, as it grabs your attention at first glance with its asymmetrical appearance. The foundation of the steel and concrete structure, designed by Roman Koucký, is a pair of 75-metre-high pylons, on which the bridge itself is suspended with 30 ropes.
The construction, costing 750 million crowns, was begun in 1995 and took three years to complete, but once it was, the new landmark won both the hearts of the local residents and a number of domestic and international awards. In addition to the European Steel Design Award, the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering included the bridge shortly after its completion among the world’s ten best constructions of the 1990s.
