Plougastel Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Plougastel Bridge, or Albert-Louppe Bridge, is a bridge
over the Elorn River near Brest
, France
, connecting Plougastel-Daoulas
and Le Relecq-Kerhuon
.
Construction on the Plougastel Bridge started in 1926 and was completed on 9 October 1930. Part of it was destroyed by the German
army in 1944, and shortly after was closed for repair. It was reopened after the widening and construction five years later. Between 1991 and 1994 another bridge, the Pont de l'Iroise, was built parallel to this bridge. Today the Plougastel carries tractor, pedestrian and bicycle traffic and is a landmark on the route of the Paris–Brest–Paris bicycle event.
The Plougastel Bridge is an arch bridge
, or has a fixed, double deck structure. The arches are composed of concrete and have a total length of around 888m. The three major spans are 188 m but sometimes said to be 186 m.
The engineer who constructed the bridge was named Eugène Freyssinet
, and the president of the Council managing the bridge was named Jules Albert-Louppe, of which the bridge was named. Louppe died in 1927, one year after the bridge began constructing.
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
over the Elorn River near Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, connecting Plougastel-Daoulas
Plougastel-Daoulas
Plougastel-Daoulas is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Plougastel-Daoulas are called in French Plougastels.-Breton language:...
and Le Relecq-Kerhuon
Le Relecq-Kerhuon
Le Relecq-Kerhuon is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France.-Population:Inhabitants of Le Relecq-Kerhuon are called in French Relecquois or Kerhorres.-Breton language:...
.
Construction on the Plougastel Bridge started in 1926 and was completed on 9 October 1930. Part of it was destroyed by the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
army in 1944, and shortly after was closed for repair. It was reopened after the widening and construction five years later. Between 1991 and 1994 another bridge, the Pont de l'Iroise, was built parallel to this bridge. Today the Plougastel carries tractor, pedestrian and bicycle traffic and is a landmark on the route of the Paris–Brest–Paris bicycle event.
The Plougastel Bridge is an arch bridge
Arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...
, or has a fixed, double deck structure. The arches are composed of concrete and have a total length of around 888m. The three major spans are 188 m but sometimes said to be 186 m.
The engineer who constructed the bridge was named Eugène Freyssinet
Eugène Freyssinet
Eugène Freyssinet was a French structural and civil engineer. He was the major pioneer of prestressed concrete.Freyssinet was born in at Objat, Corrèze, France. He worked in the École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées in Paris, France where he designed several bridges until the First World War...
, and the president of the Council managing the bridge was named Jules Albert-Louppe, of which the bridge was named. Louppe died in 1927, one year after the bridge began constructing.