Radetzky Bridge

The Radetzky Bridge is a road bridge that was built in 1898 over the Mur River in Graz, Austria. The bridge serves as a connection between the inner city and Gries districts. It holds significant importance as it is an essential component of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is recognized as the City of Graz – Historic Center and Eggenberg Palace.

In 1786, when the Jakomini suburb was built in Graz, it was decided that an extra bridge over the Mur River was needed to improve connectivity with the Gries district. Before that time, people used ferries for transportation. The “New Bridge” was built in 1787 and served as the predecessor to the current Radetzky Bridge. The bridge was made of wood. In 1827, a flood destroyed the building. However, the subsequent solution proved to be unsatisfactory. Providing pedestrian access from the Gries side was considered impractical. In 1888, there was a request made to construct a new bridge using materials like stone and iron instead of wood, as reported by the Grazer Volksblatt. During the municipal council meeting held on April 11, 1892, a decision was made to widen both the footpath and the road from 6.20 m to 7 m. The construction was planned to commence in the spring of 1894.

Before the construction of the new building could begin in 1893, renovations were carried out on the old wooden bridge. To ensure its stability, new floorboards were installed. A construction budget of 130,000 fl. was specifically allocated for the period between 1894 and 1895. The cost of the construction ended up being higher than the initial estimate. The Municipality of Graz made two annual payments of 22,000 fl. each, totaling 44,000 fl., as an additional payment. As a result, they were granted a permanent exemption from contributing to the upkeep of the new property.

The steel Radetzky Bridge, which is still standing today, was constructed between 1897 and 1898. The cost of 160,542 guilders was evenly divided among three entities: the state of Austria, the state of Styria, and the municipality of Graz.A construction was built using a continuous beam with a central support. The central pillar, made of stone, was firmly anchored in gravel at a depth of 7 meters using air pressure. The foundations on the landside reach a depth of 3 meters.The civil engineering work for the project was carried out by the construction company Brüder Redlich and Berger, while the design and execution of the iron construction was handled by the Austrian Alpine Assembly Society. The load calculation was determined using the following values: a roadway load consisting of a 20-ton truck surrounded by 12-ton trucks, and an additional load from people on the sidewalks at a rate of 460 kg per square meter. The Radetzky Bridge in Graz was officially opened to traffic on August 13, 1898. The iron bridge became the fourth of its kind in the city. According to Karl Holzmaier’s book “Arbeiterwille,”

The bridge was renovated in 1994. The bridge had four slender cylinders that were obliquely cut and served as light pylons. Furthermore, in order to make room for a vehicle lane, the bridge was expanded on the southern side downstream. The expansion involved the addition of a distinct supporting structure for both a footpath and a cycle path.

The oldest wave in Austria, which is popular among surfers, can be found beneath the bridge.