 |
 |
File of Bridge |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
In accordance with the Law of 11/02/1879, the government determines the opening of the competition for the “construction of a metal bridge over the Douro River, in the place considered the most convenient in front of the city of Porto, for the replacement of the current suspended bridge”. The winning proposal was the project of engineer Teófilo Seyrig, from the Belgian company Societé de Willebroeck.
Teófilo Seyrig had already been the author of the plan and head of the team in the project of the Ponte D. Maria Pia (D. Maria Pia Bridge) as Eiffel’s associate. This time he was the sole responsible for this work of the new and grand Ponte D. Luís I (D. Luís I Bridge). The construction works began in 1881 and the inauguration occurred on 31 October 1886). The arch comprises 172m of cord and is 44.6m tall.
Suspended Bridge
This bridge was officially named Ponte D. Maria II (D. Maria II Bridge), never having been called by this name though. The engineers Mellet and Bigot were the ones responsible for the project, and the foundation stone was set in 1841. The bridge was open to public use in 1843.
The bridge had two 18m tall masonry obelisks on each side, on top of which were the suspension cables of the 6meter wide plate. The central span of the bridge occupied 150m of the 170m between the cliff of Guindais and the Penedo, in Gaia. The cables comprising 220 cords each, kept the plate at a distance of 10m above water level, being anchored in vertical pits of 8m on the side of Porto and 14 m on the side of Gaia. These days there are but two obelisks on the right bank of the river.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
