Rie Beisenherzbrug

In the heart of Amsterdam Nieuw-West, find the Rie Beisenherzbrug. It’s a bridge with a story as unique as its name. The Rie Beisenherzbrug, bridge number 2160, gracefully spans a canal alongside the Wim van Estlaan, crossing the waterway that runs along Fanny Blankers-Koenlaan. This area, known as Laan van Spartaan, was developed in the early 2000s. As Amsterdam expanded, former sports fields were repurposed for housing. The city needed new waterways. The Rie Beisenherzbrug, along with two other bridges designed by ipv Delft, became part of this urban transformation. These three bridges, two for vehicles and one for pedestrians, stand parallel to each other. The Rie Beisenherzbrug, a concrete beam bridge completed in 2011, features concrete foundations and subtle elegance in its edge beams. Metal railings enclose all three bridges, with slight variations between the pedestrian and vehicle bridges. Interestingly, the Rie Beisenherzbrug remained nameless for years after its construction. In 2016, the city of Amsterdam reached out to its residents for naming suggestions. The proposal to name the bridge after swimmer Rie Beisenherz was finally approved in April 2020. Now, the Rie Beisenherzbrug stands not only as a testament to modern urban planning but also as a tribute to a remarkable athlete. Its name echoes the vibrant history of Amsterdam and the collaborative spirit of its people.