The Vysehrad railway bridge, a 123-year-old structure located in Prague, is at the center of a heated debate regarding its future. The bridge currently carries nearly 75% of all rail traffic through the city. Critical structural issues due to corrosion have reduced its capacity to just 60%. Now, as conversations continue about its potential replacement and relocation, public debate has been marked by sharply-divergent views from experts and local residents.
With its distinctive bronze color, the Vysehrad railway bridge is an impressive cast-iron structure filled with steel. It does so while featuring three magnificent arches on either side. Its historical importance is one reason that it has been granted protected monument status. The Railway Authority has been concerned about the bridge’s load capacity. It really couldn’t begin to accommodate the anticipated growth in rail ridership. Pavel Paidar, a member of the authority, stated the crisis in the region is urgent and worsening.
“This bridge already handles around three-quarters of Prague’s railway traffic. It could handle more, but because of the corrosion, it can only carry about 60% of its capacity.” – Pavel Paidar
Plans to demolish and rebuild the Vysehrad railway bridge about 8 kilometers south to Modrany are already in progress. In its new destination, the bridge is going to be remodeled and used as a pedestrian and bicycle crossing. This proposal was met with widespread opposition, including from many residents and leading preservationists, who are fighting for restoration, not replacement.
Independent expert assessments have already agreed that 70 percent of the bridge’s steel needs to be replaced because of corrosion. As architect and bridge engineer Petr Tej argues in the video above, on behalf of Save Our Bridges, this isn’t the final word—restoration is certainly possible. He makes the case to start by replacing at least 15% of the steel. This recommendation provides a more moderate alternative to saving this important part of Prague’s history.
“Previous expert reports said 70% of the steel should be replaced. Our study says it’s only 15%. It’s a huge difference.” – Petr Tej
More than 25,000 local residents have signed a petition in support of preserving and restoring the Vysehrad railway bridge. Astonishingly, many still hope that the structure can become an integral part of Prague’s architectural lifescape and not scrapped. As cultural heritage advocate Tomas Bistricky discussed, this clash of transport priorities and historical preservation poses a dilemma rooted in competing interests.
“There’s a mistaken perception that there are two conflicting interests at play here — transport and protecting our cultural heritage.” – Tomas Bistricky
To make this point, Bistricky took on the common argument that heritage preservation and transportation are mutually exclusive. “But our study shows there’s actually no conflict at all. On the contrary, these two things support each other,” he stated.
The current public discourse reflects a larger national conversation around the tensions between desirable urban development and cultural, historical preservation. Almost every expert and native that I spoke with considered the Vysehrad railway bridge to be a keystone of Prague’s identity and infrastructure.
“I think this bridge is absolutely key to Prague,” – Petr Tej
As the pandemic continues, city officials will have to balance these sometimes-contradictory views. They have to place contemporary requirements for a seamless, comfortable experience of modern rail travel alongside the historical importance of the Vysehrad railway bridge. The result will undoubtedly have long-term repercussions for current residents, visitors and future generations.