Every traveler visiting Rotterdam in The Netherlands must include a stop at the impressive engineering marvel known as the Erasmus Bridge (Erasmusbrug) on their agenda. Here are some fascinating facts regarding Rotterdam’s Erasmusbrug.
1. Rotterdam’s Erasmusbrug: An icon of the city
Construction on the combination cable-stayed and bascule bridge known as the Erasmusbrug, or “Erasmus Bridge,” started in 1986 and was finished in 1996. It connects Rotterdam’s north and south by crossing the Nieuwe Maas in the city’s center. Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands.
2. Why is Rotterdam’s Erasmusbrug famous?
The Erasmus Bridge, which is depicted on the city’s logo, is Rotterdam’s most recognizable landmark. The length of Rotterdam’s Erasmusbrug is 802 meters. The 139-meter asymmetrical bending pylon with a striking horizontal base is part of the cable-stayed section. Its distinctive feature has earned it the moniker “The Swan.”
3. The history of the bridge
Desiderius Erasmus, popularly known as Erasmus of Rotterdam, inspired the 1992 bridge name. The Erasmus Bridge appears on Rotterdam’s logo.
1996’s 802-meter-long New Meuse Bridge was designed by Ben van Berkel. The cable-stayed bridge segment’s 139-meter-high asymmetrical pale blue pylon, nicknamed “The Swan,” is the only feature.
The southernmost section of the bridge contains an 89-meter-long bascule bridge. It’s the tallest, heaviest bascule bridge in Western Europe and has the world’s largest panel.
Queen Beatrix opened the 165-million-euro bridge on September 6, 1996. Rotterdam’s Erasmusbrug would sway in heavy winds when it opened in October 1996. Stronger shock dampers reduced shaking.
4. Erasmusbrug events in Rotterdam
The Erasmus Bridge, a prominent landmark in Rotterdam, serves as the backdrop for numerous magnificent occasions.
- The bridge was shown in the Jackie Chan movie Who Am I? from 1998.
- Several aircraft flew beneath the bridge in 2005 as part of the “Red Bull Air Race.”
- The World Port Days in Rotterdam include the bridge.
- The Rotterdam Marathon, the biggest running competition in Holland, is another significant occasion.
- The bridge was the setting for DJ Tiesto’s 2005 performance, “Tiesto @ The Bridge, Rotterdam.”
- The prologue and opening stage of the 2010 Tour de France involved crossing the bridge. The second stage of the 2015 edition saw it as well.
- Rotterdam’s Erasmusbrug is used in the Dutch DJ Afrojack’s “Music Binds Us” intermission performance during the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 final.
5. Discover the area around the bridge
The Erasmus Bridge spans the Nieuwe Maas and connects Rotterdam’s north and south. You can see this best on a bicycle tour of downtown Rotterdam. The tour crosses the bridge from Kop van Zuid to Delfshaven.
Rotterdam’s Kop van Zuid is undergoing rapid redevelopment while proudly displaying its industrial past. It has Rem Koolhaas’ De Rotterdam, the Montevideo building, and Holland’s tallest building, Maastoren. Hotel New York symbolizes the area’s heritage. This Jugendstil structure once housed Holland America Line’s headquarters. Tens of thousands began new lives in Rotterdam’s Wilhelminakade. The Nederlands Fotomuseum is another must-see at Kop van Zuid.
Cross the Erasmus Bridge to reach Veerhaven, with its fine buildings and ancient ships, and old Delfshaven, a pleasant historical district that evokes pre-war Rotterdam.
