Waalbrug

Geschiedenis

The Waalbrug is an arch bridge over the Waal River in Nijmegen, Gelderland, the Netherlands. The full length of the Waalbrug is, the middle of the arch being about high. The arch itself is long and was the longest arch in Europe at the time of construction.Unlike many other bridges from the same period and with the same construction, like the IJsselbrug near Zwolle, the Graafsebrug and the bridge near Arnhem, the Waalbrug is an arch bridge in the literal sense: all forces truly work on the two pylons.HistoryThe bridge was opened on 16 June 1936 by Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands in presence of 200.000 people.Until 1936 there was no permanent connection for ordinary traffic to the other side of the Waal. All traffic had to use the "Zeldenrust" ferry. Train traffic used a railway bridge since 1879.In 1906 the "Nijmegen Vooruit" (Nijmegen Ahead) committee started planning the construction of the Waalbrug, but the First World War delayed the plans. In 1927 definitive plans had been made and construction of the bridge started October 23, 1931 after a plan of the architect G. Schoorl.At the start of the Second World War the Dutch combat engineering units blew up the bridge to stop the German army's advance. During the occupation the Germans restored the bridge and from 1943 it was in use for traffic again.In 1944 the Germans planned to blow up the bridge again, but Jan van Hoof, a Rover Scout and member of the Dutch Resistance, managed to prevent this. On 20 September 1944, the bridge was conquered by allied forces. A plaque was added to the bridge as a reminder of van Hoof's actions.