Could you believe that this bridge was once nameless? The Anna Paulownabrug connects the Oranje Nassaulaan. It elegantly spans the Willemsparkvijver. The Willemsparkvijver is at the southwest edge of the Vondelpark.
Until April 2016 this bridge had unofficial names. It was known as Willemsparkbrug. It was also called Oranje Nassaubrug. These names connected it to its surroundings.
However in April 2018 the city officially named it Anna Paulownabrug. This name honors Anna Paulowna. She was a Russian princess. She became Queen of the Netherlands.
Let’s delve into its history. Around 1902 Bouwonderneming Willemspark developed a residential area here. In May 1903 the company requested a street plan change. They also asked to build a bridge. The agreement was to transfer the bridge to the municipality after completion.
Intriguingly the department of bridges managed the details. Hendrik Leguyt was the head architect at Publieke Werken then. However his direct involvement is unconfirmed. The municipality opened the tender in January 1905.
An entrepreneur secured the project for just 17000 guilders. The Anna Paulownabrug’s design harmonizes with the surrounding villas. An October 1904 tender revealed its construction used about 30 cubic meters of granite. Look closely. The granite is prominent in the balusters and balustrades.
The Anna Paulownabrug has elegant lanterns adding to its charm. The bridge is also known as bridge 136. Today Amsterdam has at least 2058 numbered bridges. There are also 98 bridges with a P number. P bridges are privately owned. Others belong to Rijkswaterstaat. Some are managed by provincial authorities.
Amsterdam boasts over 6784 bridges and viaducts. Of these nearly 987 have names. This makes Amsterdam a world leader in bridge numbers. Each bridge tells a story. The Anna Paulownabrug invites you to reflect on Amsterdam’s rich history. It also connects you to the beauty of its architecture.