Buda Bridge

About

The Buda Bridge (French: Pont de Buda) is an industrial lifting bridge from 1955 with a remarkable metal structure over the Brussels-Schelde Sea Canal in Lower Over-Heembeek, a submunicipality of Brussels. The bridge, built for the Chemin de Fer Industriel (CFI), recalls the industrial and economic boom of the port of Brussels.

History: To operate the left bank of the canal, the railway company CFI built a bascule bridge near the Cokeries de Marly in 1931 for the price of 8 million francs. After this bridge was blown up and thoroughly destroyed by the English in the night of 16 on 17 May 1940, SNCB replaced it by a temporary bridge. It was damaged in 1951 and the current Buda Bridge was built in 1955 for an amount of 60 million francs. During a grand inauguration ceremony, which coincided with the celebration of 400 years canal Brussels-Rupel, the bridge was opened on 19 June 1955 by Prince Albert, later King Albert II. Initially, the bridge served only for the trains of C.F.I., but later it also allowed car traffic. Since the new bridge can open up to a height of 35 meters, sea-going vessels with a higher superstructure can...