Potiorek Bridge

45°15′26″N 19°51′25″E / 45.2570845°N 19.8569615°E / 45.2570845; 19.8569615CrossedDanubeLocaleNovi Sad, Vojvodina, SerbiaNamed forOskar PotiorekPreceded byHagen Bridge (1915–1918)
Emperor Franz Joseph BridgeCharacteristicsDesignTied-arch bridgeMaterialSteelTrough constructionSteelPier constructionWoodTotal length384 mWidth6.7 mHeight13 mTraversable?YesPiers in water4No. of lanes2HistoryConstruction startDecember 1914; 109 years ago (1914-12)Construction endMarch 1915; 109 years ago (1915-03)OpenedMarch 1915; 109 years ago (1915-03)Collapsed18 February 1924; 100 years ago (1924-02-18) (destroyed by river ice)Location

Potiorek Bridge (Serbian: Поћореков мост, Poćorekov most) was a bridge on the Danube river in Novi Sad, current day Vojvodina, Serbia. Built in March 1915, it lasted until 18 February 1924 when it collapsed from ice sheet damage and was completely demolished in the summer of the same year.^[1][2]

Name

Despite the bridge never having an official name, in military communications it was referred to as Potiorek Bridge, named after Oskar Potiorek, commander of the Austro-Hungarian forces in the failed Serbian Campaign of 1914.^[1][2]

Location

The bridge from the Bačka side of Novi Sad ended where the modern Miloša Bajića street is located, near the old silk factory.^[1][2]

History

In August 1914, after the Austro-Hungarian forces were dealt a defeat at the Battle of Cer by Serbian forces, preparations for a new offensive began immediately. Many soldiers and war equipment arrived in Novi Sad. The existing railway and pontoon bridge could no longer meet armies demands, so the construction of a larger bridge (planned several years earlier) started in December 1914. The bridge was 261 meters long with a maximum span of 384 meters, 6.7 meters wide and 13 meters high. It had a steel framework construction of 5 arches built on top of six wooden piers (four river piers, 2 coastal piers) grounded by sand and earth. It was conceptualized as the first road bridge for heavy wheeled vehicles in Novi Sad.^[1][2]

At the end of First World War, the citizens of Novi Sad and the Serbian army saved the bridge from destruction at the hands of the retreating Austro-Hungarian forces. Through this bridge the Serbian army, commanded by major Vojislav Bugarski entered the liberated Novi Sad on 9 November 1918. The bridge was under constant military protection, with military engineers and craftsmen maintaining it. The control of the bridge was handed to the city in 1921 by the First Military District.^[1][2]

The winder of 1924 was extremely cold, resulting in the Danube to frozen up. At the beginning of January, sheets of ice began to flow downstream. The technical department of the Ban Administration asked the First Military District for explosives to destroy the sheets of ice, but were unsuccessful in their attempt. The explosives only made holes on the larger sheets of ice that continued to press on the bridge's wooden piers. The bridge gave in the early hours of 18 February 1924, the ice sheets damaging one of the piers resulting in the collapse of two metal arches that rested on it. The bridge was completely demolished by the summer of 1924. A temporary pontoon bridge was construction until the completion of the Prince Tomislav Bridge in 1928.^[1][2]

See also

• List of bridges in Serbia
• List of crossings of the Danube

References

External links

History of Novi SadPolitics

City	Mayor City Assembly President Local communities People Honorary citizens
Vojvodina	Statute Government of Vojvodina President Assembly of Vojvodina President

Neighborhoods

Novi Sad Proper	Adamovićevo Naselje Adice Almaški Kraj Avijatičarsko Naselje Banatić Bistrica Bulevar Depresija Detelinara Gornje Livade Grbavica Jugovićevo Klisa Liman Mali Beograd Mišin Salaš Pervazovo Naselje Podbara Rimski Šančevi Rotkvarija Sajlovo Sajmište Salajka Satelit Slana Bara Stari Grad Šangaj Tankosićevo Telep University campus Veliki Rit Veternička Rampa Vidovdansko Naselje
Petrovaradin	Alibegovac Bukovački Plato Mišeluk Novi Majur Petrovaradin Fortress Podgrađe Tvrđave Ribnjak Sadovi Širine Široka Dolina Stari Majur Trandžament Vezirac
Sremska Kamenica	Artiljevo Bocke Čardak Donja Kamenica Glavica Gornja Kamenica Paragovo Popovica Staroiriški Put Tatarsko Brdo

SuburbsBuildings and
landmarksReligionCultureGalleries and
museumsEducation

Public	Jovan Jovanović Zmaj Gymnasium Svetozar Marković Gymnasium Isidora Sekulić Gymnasium Laza Kostić Gymnasium Isidor Bajić Music School University of Novi Sad
Private	Novi Sad Open University Novi Sad Theological College Azbukum Vojvodina Academy of Sciences and Arts

HealthSports

Stadiums and Indoor arenas	Detelinara Stadium Karađorđe Stadium Slana Bara Stadium SPC Vojvodina
Football clubs	FK Crvena Zvezda Novi Sad FK Indeks Novi Sad FK Kabel FK Mladost Novi Sad FK Proleter Novi Sad FK Veternik FK Vojvodina NAK Novi Sad OFK Slavija Novi Sad RFK Novi Sad 1921 ŽFK Fruškogorac
Basketball clubs	KK FMP KK I Came to Play KK Meridiana KK Novi Sad KK Star KK Vojvodina KK Vojvodina Srbijagas ŽKK Vojvodina ŽKK Vojvodina 021
Other sports clubs	HK Novi Sad HK NS Stars HK Vojvodina KKK Vojvodina OK Vojvodina PFL Novi Sad RK Jugović RK Vojvodina SD Vojvodina VK Danubius 1885 VK Dunav VK Vojvodina

Companies

Finance	DDOR Novi Sad Erste Bank Novi Sad OTP Banka Srbija
Media	Dnevnik RTV
Food	Matijević Novi Sad Brewery Swisslion Group Univerexport
Oil & gas	Naftna Industrija Srbije Srbijagas
Other	Color Press Group Eipix Entertainment Schneider Electric DMS

Transportation

Land	JGSP Novi Sad Novi Sad railway station Trams in Novi Sad Pan-European Corridor X
Bridges	Current Liberty Bridge Varadin Bridge Žeželj Bridge Beška Bridge Historical Hagen Bridge Prince Andrew Bridge Potiorek Bridge Prince Tomislav Bridge Boško Perošević Bridge
Air and water	Novi Sad Airport Port of Novi Sad Pan-European Corridor VII

Events