Bridging Beauty and Innovation

The Štvanice footbridge in Prague has been brought to life through the vision of its creators: Petr Tej, Marek Blank and Jan Mourek. This remarkable structure was born from their winning design in an international competition organised by the Institute of Planning and Development of the City of Prague.

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The graceful curvature of this footbridge has been meticulously designed to create a seamless route, carefully considering the flow of both pedestrians and cyclists. The construction of the bridge elegantly complements the breathtaking Prague skyline and connects the vibrant districts of Holešovice and Karlín, while also serving as a vital link to Štvanice Island.

This bridge is held aloft by two sturdy embankment abutments, flanked by two piers at the edges of Štvanice Island and two more piers in the non-navigable part of the Vltava River. A sloping ramp leads down to the island, mirroring its natural curvature. On the Holešovice side, the bridge’s final section gently descends, seamlessly connecting to the pavement at street level, ensuring unrestricted access for all.

The bridge features a unique design, incorporating a vertical mobility feature at the support point, where a hydraulic piston mechanism is installed to raise the span to the flood level Q1000 when necessary. Constructed from top-quality ultra-high-performance fibre-reinforced concrete (UHPFRC), the bridge boasts a surface reminiscent of glossy white marble. Its primary structural element consists of a continuous, reinforced concrete beam, strengthened by longitudinal prestressing and shaped like an ‘H’. This design includes two full-walled side parapet beams with an intermediate deck plate supported by transverse ribs.

From a production and assembly perspective, this bridge is a marvel of engineering, composed of 57 pre-fabricated segments. Notably, it features an exquisite ornamental bronze railing adorned with charming animal motifs created by the Sculptor Aleš Hvízdal. The lighting has been seamlessly integrated into the handrail for both functionality and aesthetics. Additionally, at the entrance to the Štvanice Island, you’ll encounter a captivating figural sculpture titled ‘The River’, crafted by the talented Sculptor Jan Hendrych.

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