Montolivet Bridge
Montolivet Bridge | |
|---|---|
 Montolivet bridge connects the Roundabout of Europe (upper right) with the Saler highway (lower left) | |
| Coordinates | 39°28′N 0°21′W / 39.46°N 0.35°W |
| Crosses | Túria Gardens (former riverbed of Túria River) |
| Locale | Valencia, Spain |
| Official name | Pont de Montolivet |
| Other name(s) | Puente de Monteolivete |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | concrete road bridge |
| No. of spans | two bridge segments joined together on the abutment in the middle of the Túria riverbed |
| History | |
| Designer | Fernández Ordóñez (north segment)[1] Santiago Calatrava (south segment)[2] |
| Opened | opened to traffic 1999[3] though deemed deficient |
| Inaugurated | 2007 |
| Location | |
 | |
The Montolivet Bridge (Valencian: Pont de Montolivet, Spanish: Puente de Monteolivete)[a] is a road bridge in the southeast part of the city of Valencia that crosses the dry Túria riverbed and the western half of the City of Arts and Sciences. To the north, the bridge ends at the Roundabout of Europe, one of the largest in the city, while to the south it intersects the Saler motorway.
It is a unique bridge in the city because it consists of two clearly different bridge segments: the older straight bridge,[1] which crosses only the northern half of the dry riverbed, and the newer curved bridge,[2] which continues the bridge across an artificial reflecting pond to the southern shore. It was upon the construction of the City of Arts and Sciences in the riverbed that the south bridge segment was built. The two-segment bridge was inaugurated in 2007.
Design features
[edit]Both bridge segments consist of two separate roadways, each with four lanes for vehicular traffic as well as a wide sidewalk for bicycles and pedestrians. The total width of the dual roadways including the median gap is about 41 m (135 ft) for both bridge segments.
The older north bridge segment, built in the 1980s, was designed by Fernández Ordóñez (1933–2000) with straight dual roadways[4] and was also called the Maristas Brothers bridge.[5] Each roadway is supported by a series of dual vertical rectangular columns, in between which are smooth haunches in gray concrete with the corners and other trim details painted distinctively in brown.[1][6] In 2014, the railings of this older north segment was replaced.[4]
In contrast, the newer south bridge segment, designed by Santiago Calatrava,[7] has two curved roadways each supported on four slender curved legs that converge at a point base midway across an artificial reflecting pond. Made of white shiny concrete, it contains hardly any straight line, mainly swooping curves, which give it an organic leaping quality when view on the riverbed level. It ties L'Hemisfèric to its east with Palua de les Arts Reina Sofía to its west. It plays a significant role in the whole scheme of the City of Arts and Sciences.
The two bridge segments are joined at the staircase abutment, which has stairs on each side leading down to the riverbed. On the median of the abutment, there is a round Roman limestone column 5.1 m (17 ft) high. It was a gift from the architect Calatrava to the city of Valencia, to mark the spot where Pope Benedict XVI conducted Mass on 9 July 2006.[8]
Gallery
[edit]-
Aerial view of Montolivet Bridge, looking south -
Riverbed view of Montolivet Bridge at night, looking south -
Montolivet Bridge, riverbed level looking north -
Riverbed view of Montolivet Bridge, looking northwest -
Riverbed level looking east under the west roadway of the Montolivet Bridge
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Notes
[edit]- ^ Pronunciation, Valencian: [ˈpɔnd de montoliˈvet], Spanish: [ˈpwente ðe montoliˈβete].
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Ordóñez, José Antonio Fernández. "Puente de Monteolivete". structurae.net. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
Structure: Haunched girder bridge
- ^ a b Calatrava, Santiago. "Puente de Monteolivete". structurae.net. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
Structure: Arch bridge
- ^ "The city council takes over the Monteolivete bridge seven years after its opening: The work done by Cacsa had not been received because it had multiple deficiencies". levante-emv.com (Spanish). 2 June 2006. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
- ^ a b "They change the railing of the Monteolivete bridge for cracks". Las Provincias. August 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
The Monteolivete bridge was built in the 1980s and bears the signature of the late engineer Fernández Ordóñez.
- ^ "Calatrava considers his fees 'even modest'". El País. 19 June 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
...twelve years ago Santiago Calatrava built the Monteolivete viaduct, which continues the bridge partially designed by Fernández Ordóñez, the Maristas Brothers bridge.
- ^ "Puentes del río Turia: Puente de Monteolivete". adriver.org. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ Calatrava, Santiago. "2000 – Peunte de la Monteolivete, Valencia, Spain". archiseek.com. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
The original bridge crossing the Túria river bed was built by Engineer Fernandez Ordoñez in the 1980s. When the City of Arts and Sciences was [to be] built the bridge was considered a poor aesthetic match and Calatrava persuaded the city officials to add a new section to the bridge and rebuild it in his unique style.
- ^ "Puente de Monteolivete (with photos)". jdiezarnal.com. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
External links
[edit]
- Pont de Montolivet, City of Arts and Sciences
- Montolivet Bridge, City of Arts and Sciences, Valencia, Spain. Picture by Michael Cohen.
| Authority control databases: Geographic |
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