Bridges In Graz
Graz is renowned for its impressive network of bridges that seamlessly combine both functionality and aesthetics. The Muraschitz Viaduct, along with other historic and contemporary architectural masterpieces, serves as a testament to the remarkable engineering skills employed in their construction. The Muraschitz Viaduct is a remarkable 19th-century structure that boasts beautiful stone arches. On the other hand, the Graz Mur Island, designed by Vito Acconci, is a modern marvel of bridge innovation. It gives the illusion of floating on the Mur River. These bridges serve not only as transportation routes for people, but also as storytellers that convey the history of the city.
Radetzky Bridge
The Radetzky Bridge, a road bridge in Graz, Austria, was built in 1898 to connect the inner city and Gries districts. It is part of the City of Graz – Historic Center and Eggenberg Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The bridge was constructed over the Mur River to enhance connectivity with the Gries district. The previous wooden bridge, the “New Bridge,” was destroyed by a flood in 1827.
In 1893, the old wooden bridge underwent renovations, with a budget of 130,000 fl. allocated for the period between 1894 and 1895. The Municipality of Graz made two annual payments of 22,000 fl. each, totaling 44,000 fl., in return for being permanently exempt from contributing to the maintenance of the new property.
The steel Radetzky Bridge, constructed between 1897 and 1898, cost 160,542 guilders and was divided equally among Austria, Styria, and Graz. The bridge used a continuous beam with a central support and was anchored in gravel at a depth of 7 meters using air pressure. The Austrian Alpine Assembly Society handled the design and execution of the iron construction.
On August 13, 1898, the bridge was officially opened to traffic, becoming the fourth of its kind in the city. In 1994, the bridge underwent renovation, featuring four slender, obliquely cut cylinders as light pylons and an expansion on the downstream side for a vehicle lane.
Weinzöttl Bridge
The Weinzöttlbrücke is a historic road and railway bridge in Graz, Austria, that spans the Mur River. It was built in 1673 by the Eggenbergers and was demolished between 1953 and 1954. Before World War I, local industrialists advocated for a railway connection to connect Gösting to Sankt Radegund. The bridge was constructed as a combined road and railway bridge, with three openings and an extra flood opening.
The bridge was designed to function as both a railway bridge with load standard II and a 1st class road bridge, taking into account a 1911 regulation specifying concrete pressure requirements. In 1918, construction company Mayreder, Kraus & Co. began a temporary wooden bridge over the downstream half of the bridge. The bridge underwent its inaugural test in June 1918 and regular rail traffic to Andritz began in August 1918.
Rail traffic on the concrete bridge began in July 1920, dismantling the wooden bridge. The downstream half of the bridge was completed in April 1921, and the bridge deck was paved with granite stones set in sand and asphalt sidewalks. The bridge was officially opened to traffic in December 1922.
In 2005, significant damage was discovered on the bridge, necessitating immediate renovation. The work was conducted in 2007, causing the area to be closed to all traffic except for regular buses.
Kepler Bridge
The Kepler Bridge, a road bridge in Graz, Austria, spans the Mur River. It was built in 1963 using reinforced concrete and steel girders and is the oldest bridge in Styria. The bridge was named after Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria and was later converted into an arch bridge in 1882.
In 1920, it was renamed Keplerbrücke in honor of Johannes Kepler, a renowned German natural philosopher, mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, optician, and evangelical theologian.
The bridge has undergone multiple renovations, with the most recent being in 2015. In 2006, the longest bridge in Graz was constructed, crossing over the heavily used route for cyclists and pedestrians along the left bank of the Mur. The underpass, Elise-Steininger-Steg, was opened in 2006 and spans 135 meters. In 2012, a longer longitudinal bridge measuring 165 meters was replaced by the Weinzödlbrücke, becoming the longest bridge in Graz.
The Kepler Bridge is a popular spot for cyclists, with nearly 7,000 people riding their bikes on an average working day in May 2017. The City of Graz’s Traffic Planning Department manages an automatic bike counting station on the bridge’s underwater side, which has been in operation since 2015. The Kepler-Gymnasium is situated on the right bank of the Mur River, right next to the bridge.
Graz Murinsel
The Murinsel in Graz, also known as the island in the Mur, is an artificial floating platform created in 1999 as part of the Capital of Culture year (Graz 2003). It was designed to integrate architecture and art in public spaces, creating an immersive experience connecting people with water at the city’s heart.
The island, a shell-shaped structure, measures 50 meters in length and 20 meters in width and serves as an open-air theater with a rounded “dome.” The artificial landscape is designed to accommodate approximately 350 visitors and features an island café and a children’s playground.
The Murinsel is located upstream of the Edegger-Stegs, north of the main bridge, between the Schlossberg and the Kunsthaus. The Graz City Audit Office evaluated the Murinsel’s future usability and usability indirectly. The initial water law notice for the Murinsel had a limited duration until December 23, 2012.
In 2013, the federal government extended the license under water and shipping law for an additional ten years. A collaborative decision was made with Vito Acconci to install a sun sail over the Murinsel to enhance events in the open-air area. Another planning project aims to improve the flow behavior of the Mur river, specifically to enhance impact protection against flotsam on the north side of the platform.
