I
magine a bridge as the hero of a
TV series and becoming popular
enough to warrant a guided tour.
I am talking about the Øresund
Bridge, the approximately
16-kilometre-long architectural gem
(and star of The Bridge, a crime show
aptly produced by a collaborative
Swedish and Danish venture) that
connects Copenhagen and Malmö, two
major Scandinavian cities. Construction
began in 1995, and it opened to the
public in 2000, since when it has been
helping to ease the lives of residents
of the Øresund (Greater Copenhagen)
region by allowing them to both live and
work on either side.
Two 204-metre-high pylons support
the cable-stayed bridge that crosses
the Øresund Strait. The upper level is
for the four-lane motorway, and a two-
track rail runs along the lower level. The
entire bridge — except for the pylons
— was constructed on the ground and
then transported using floating cranes.
On the Danish side, the Øresundbron
(a local nickname) ends at an artificial
island, Peberholm, where it meets
the underwater Drogden Tunnel. The
island was built using material dug out
from the seabed and is home to natural
flora and fauna, which has piqued the
interest of environmental scientists.
Over 500 different kinds of plants have
been discovered here, and this is also
home to hundreds of bird and animal
species and the natural habitat of a rare
variety of toad.
The bridge was designed by Danish
engineering firm COWI, and it is
jointly operated by both countries.
Commuters have to pay a toll, but the
scenic ride makes up for every penny
spent; the train journey takes around
35 minutes, while you can take a shorter
drive across in 20 minutes. The Øresund
Bridge is also a symbolic structure of
unity, given the violent history between
the Swedes and the Danes.THE ØRESUND BRIDGE