Odra Trail – Sand Bridge, the Tamka Island [15]

Grudzień 14, 2016

 

 

 See location on the map

 

Sand Bridge, over the southern arm of Odra, connects the left-bank of Wrocław with the island Piasek (literally Sand). It is the oldest river crossing and the oldest of over hundred bridges in Wrocław. It is located in a place where important trade routes crossed – from the southern Europe to the shores of the Baltic Sea and from the west towards the Black Sea.

 

 

The first information about the Sand Bridge is from 1149. It is possible that originally it was just a wood or stone panelled ford, allowing for passage across the river via a”bridge”. Bartolomeus Stein – in the description of Wrocław from 1512 – defines the later wooden river crossing as a not very long bridge, which was mounted on chains and lifted three times a day to allow for sailiing. The currently standing, first iron bridge in Wrocław of the truss construction, was designed by Ernst Uber and built in 1861.

 

 

Before 1945, below the Sand Bridge operated a small passenger harbour. Today, it is a starting point of cruises on Wrocław Water Junction (Śródmiejski Węzeł Wodny). Going down the river, on the upper and lower water barrages, you can see interesting historical hydro-technical facilities.

 

 

On the small island Tamka located nearby and connected to the left bank of Odra by the bridge of St. Matthias, located was one of the oldest water mills of Wrocław, mentioned in 1254. The second mill, built on the shore on the city’s side, was adjusted in the sixteenth century to supply city waterways with water. Wrocław was supplied with water by means of a system of wooden pipes.

 

 

On the level of the island located were also medieval baths of the princes. Such baths – located mainly over the inner moat, near the city gates – were used for bathing (including steam baths) and socializing, and a bath-keeper offered customers hair cutting and treating minor wounds.

 

 

In the nineteenth century a number of baths were founded on the islands of Odra. In 1804, on the island Tamka was opened a first swimming bath complex, which used for treatment water from Odra. In the summer it was possible to bathe in the river directly, in a wooden structure immersed in water. In the 1830s the first Wrocław large, independent river bathing area was moored to the shores of Tamka.

 

 

Sand Bridge details:

• former name: Pons ad Virgin Maria in Arena Sandbrücke
• obstacle: South Odra
• commissioning of the bridge to use: 1861.
• the length of the riverbed over Odra: 31.74 metres
• number of spans: 1
• span length: 30.69 metres
• overall width: 12.02 metres
• tie bar length: 216 metres
• construction cost: 2 810 000 marks

 

Odra, at which you lie and whose current
So angry you break into many branches,
Nowhere to be seen – from the source to the mouth -
Sailing through all the northern lands,
Something that could compete with you,
Wrocław.

Bartolomeus Stein, Hendecasyllable in honour of Wrocław

 

 

 

 

 

 

ODRA TRAIL:

1. Stopień wodny Opatowice, Śluza Opatowice
2. Stopień wodny Bartoszowice, Śluza Bartoszowice
3. Przystań ZOO, Port STANICA, Port RANCZO
4. Przystań Zwierzyniecka, Most Zwierzyniecki, Kanał Miejskiego
5. Szczytniki Barrage, Szczytniki Lock
6. Wyspiański Shore
7. Ujście rzeki Oława, Port Węglowy, Odra Centrum
8. Grunwaldzki Bridge
9. Kanał Żeglugowy, Śluza Zacisze
10. Boulevard of Lech and Maria Kaczyński
11. Gondola Bay
12. Boulevard of Xawery Dunikowski
13. Włostowic boulevard
14. Most Tumski, Mosty Młyńskiej
15. Sand Bridge, the Tamka Island
16. The upper barrage, Sand Lock
17. Słodowa Island
18. Most Uniwersytecki, Marina
19. The lower barrage – Burgher’s Lock
20. Mieszczański Stopień Wodny, Elektrownie wodne
21. Port Miejski, Kępa Mieszczańska
22. Stopień wodny Różanka, Śluza Różanka
23. Barrage Psie Pole, The City Lock
24. Most Milenijny, Zimowisko Barek Osobowice 1
25. Port Popowice
26. Zimowisko Barek Osobowice 1
27. Stocznia Kozanów
28. Stopień wodny Rędzin, Śluzy Rędzin
29. Home page

 

 

See also our Partner: www.WroclawNadOdra.pl [eng]