A concrete span that connects two worlds. That is the Veebrug in Amsterdam-Oost. It is a fixed bridge. The Veebrug crosses the Lozingskanaal. It links the Zeeburgerpad and the Zeeburgerdijk. The Veelaan starts at the Cruquiusweg. It crosses the Nieuwe Vaart via the Slachthuisbrug. It joins the Molukkenstraat over the Lozingskanaal.
The Veebrug got its name from the Veemarkt. The Veemarkt was held here from around 1883 to the mid-20th century. The history of the Vee- and Slachthuisbrug is intertwined. A design was made in 1882 to build the two bridges. A fixed bridge was built over the Lozingskanaal. It was mainly for water refreshment. The bridges were under construction by March 1883. The Veemarkt still had to be set up almost entirely.
The Dienst der Publieke Werken was responsible for bridge designs. Bastiaan de Greef and Willem Springer were the architects then. The building drawings did not mention a name. Publieke Werken worked as a collective. The bridge had to be adapted in 1901 for the arrival of the municipal tram. The PW had to get involved again.
Both bridges had to be renovated in the late 1950s and 1959. Work began in August 1960. It took eighteen months to demolish the old bridges and build new ones. Cornelis Johannes Henke worked for the Dienst der Publieke Werken. He worked alongside bridge architects Dirk Sterenberg and Dick Slebos. The three often influenced each other. Henke was less known. He designed only around 35 bridges.
The Veebrug shares similarities with bridges in Amsterdam-Slotervaart. It features concrete spans with concrete pillars. The bridge has simple balustrades. These are green. The color is due to municipal regulations. The Amsterdam bridges in other areas are blue. So now you know more about Veebrug.