Ha'penny Bridge

53.346318 - 6.263093Koordinaten: 53 ° 20 ' 46.7 "N, 6 ° 15' 47.1 " W

F1

Liffey

The Ha'penny Bridge or Half Penny Bridge ( Irish: Droichead na Life) is a 43 m long, 3.7 m wide pedestrian bridge just from 1816, spanning the River Liffey in central Dublin, Ireland, while the district of Temple bar with a Bachelor 's walk connects. It was given its common name because of the earlier pedestrian toll to be paid; the official, but hardly used in everyday life name is Liffey Bridge. The bridge is one of the most photographed sights in Dublin and is widely regarded as the landmark of the city.

History

At the site of today's Ha'penny Bridge before there was a ferry. The operator, a William Walsh, was encouraged to renew located in poor condition seven used here either ferries or to replace it by a bridge. Walsh opted for the latter and instructed the British structural engineer John Windsor and Colebrookdale Company from the English Shropshire to the construction of an iron bridge. This company had several years earlier, now a World Heritage Site, Ironbridge constructed in England was the first bridge in the world made ​​of cast iron. The bridge in Dublin is also made of cast iron and was opened in May 1816 a year of construction. It was built under the condition that they - should they be perceived within a year as a nuisance - is removed again without the city incurring costs. Walsh was granted in return the right to levy as compensation for the lost revenue from the ferry one hundred years on the bridge a toll. The amount of the toll of a halfpenny originally corresponded to the price of a ferry crossing. For passing the bridge there was a turnstile, in which the half -pence coins were interject at each end. The pedestrian toll was abolished in 1919.

From 2001 to 2003 the footbridge was closed for major renovations. The costs amounted to approximately EUR 1.6 million. Since the opening, the Ha'penny Bridge shows again in their original, striking white color. The bridge respectively the renovation work carried out by Harland & Wolff were honored in 2003 with the Europa Nostra award for conservation work on valuable cultural assets.

The Ha'penny Bridge was until the opening of the Millennium Bridge in 2000, the only pedestrian bridge over the Liffey in Dublin. In 2001, approximately 27,000 persons daily passed the pedestrian crossing.

Naming

Originally, the bridge was named Wellington Bridge, named after Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, the British military leader and later prime minister, who emerged as the winner against Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. Motive for this was the name of equality with the still existing Wellington Quay - the parallel to the river running street in the Temple Bar district, by leading off the bridge. In 1923, after gaining the independence of the Republic of Ireland from the United Kingdom, it was with the today valid, official name Liffey Bridge ( Irish: Droichead na Life) considered.

Your ubiquitous popular name Ha'penny Bridge was built soon and is derived from the payable duty from half a penny ( halfpenny ), and later a last one and a half penny here, which is why the bridge was also briefly known as Penny Ha'penny Bridge. Inhabitants of the city are of the opinion that these folk renaming is due to the fact that the Dublin have a tendency not to call striking things of the city with the official name, but with a pithy expression. Speak further renaming of Dublin's buildings for this thesis. However, there are a number of other bridges in England, which also bear the name Ha'penny Bridge (also in alternate spellings ).

As more names for the Ha'penny Bridge Triangular Bridge and Metal Bridge exist. The latter name was only some time and consistently explained by the fact that it was in the building at the first and only bridge of metal, previously there was only bridges of wood and stone.