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Colonnade Bridge

Piestany, Slovakia
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Colonnade Bridge was designed by Emil Bellus in 1930 in Piestany, Slovakia. This functionalist structure of a sheltered pedestrian promenade bridge showcasing high architectural qualities is unique in the whole European context and it belonged to the architect's most popular works.

The bridge consists of seven bays and connects the town with the island where the healing springs are located. Originally, it served the transportation as well as the pedestrians. Today it is exclusively a pedestrian bridge. The original promenade part of the bridge is covered with a cantilevered T-shape canopy. Retail integrated within the shore-side bays of the bridge further enhanced its attraction. Quite popular became also the stained glass windows by painter Benka and particularly the sculpture of Crutchbreaker by Kuhmayer near the fountain at the entrance from the town.

The bridge was intended to connect to a pergola-style colonnade along the river bank, hence the name 'colonnade' ('kolonadovy'). Although only a bridge has been built, it still is a great architectural work quite distinct of the time. The structure of the bridge has been calculated by a Swiss structural engineer A. Schwarz and the construction was carried out by Pittel & Brausewetter Company. During the War (1945) the middle part of the bridge has been blown up. Its restoration which brought it back to the functionalist original form was completed in 1956.

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lchiselef, May 26th, 2014
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