Puente de Occidente facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Puente de Occidente |
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| Coordinates | 6°34′40″N 75°47′53″W / 6.57778°N 75.79806°W |
| Carries | Pedestrians, motorcycles, cars, small trucks |
| Crosses | Cauca River |
| Locale | Between Santa Fe de Antioquia and Olaya |
| Named for | Western Antioquia subregion of Antioquia Department |
| Owner | Antioquia Department |
| Heritage status | Fué declarado monumento nacional en el año de 1967. |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Suspension/cable-stayed hybrid |
| Material | wood, iron, steel |
| Total length | 291 m (955 ft) |
| Clearance below | 4.6 m (15 ft) |
| History | |
| Designer | José María Villa |
| Construction begin | 4 December 1887 |
| Construction end | 27 December 1895 |
| Construction cost | $171,300 |
The Puente de Occidente (which means "Bridge of the West") is a famous bridge in Colombia. It's called "Bridge of the West" because it's in the western part of the Antioquia Department. This amazing bridge connects two towns, Olaya and Santa Fe de Antioquia. It stretches across the wide Cauca River. When it was first built, it was considered one of the longest suspension bridges in the world!
Contents
About the Puente de Occidente
The Puente de Occidente is a special type of bridge called a suspension bridge. It hangs from strong cables. These cables are held up by four tall towers, two on each side of the river.
The bridge has a main path in the middle for cars and small trucks. On both sides of this path, there are walkways just for people. All these paths are made of wood.
Building the Bridge
Building this bridge was a huge project! It started in 1887. An engineer named José María Villa led the construction. He got permission from the governor of Antioquia, Marcelino Vélez.
The strong steel cables and other metal parts came all the way from England. But the towers were built using materials found right there in Colombia. At first, only people could walk across the bridge. Later, vehicles were allowed to cross too.
A Special Design
Even though there are now many longer bridges in South America, the Puente de Occidente was once the longest of its kind on the continent. It's a very important part of Colombia's history.
The engineer, José María Villa, was born nearby in Sopetrán. He studied engineering in the United States. After his studies, he even helped build the famous Brooklyn Bridge! The design of the Puente de Occidente is similar to the Brooklyn Bridge. Both use a mix of suspension and cable-stayed styles.
A National Treasure
The Puente de Occidente is more than just a way to cross a river. It was declared a National Monument of Colombia on November 26, 1978. This means it's a protected historical site. In 2014, the bridge had some important repairs to keep it strong and safe for everyone to use.
See also
- Suspension bridge
- Cauca River
In Spanish: Puente de Occidente para niños
