The East Bridge, the elevated bridge across the eastern part of the Great Belt, the so-called, is an impressive piece of architecture in every sense of the word. With its 6,790 metres (nearly 7 kilometre!) it is the second longest suspension bridge in the world. The two pylons rise 254 metres above the surface of the sea, and this makes them the highest man-made points in Denmark.
The entire construction is held by an anchor block with a weight of 325,000 tonnes. Even the price of DKK 21.6 billion in 1988 prices for the total bridge and tunnel link can seem staggering. The bridge is Denmark's largest building project so far.
A water sculpture
And there is more than the size to impress. The bridge proves that large sizes can easily go hand in hand with grace and elegance.
The suspension bridge rises like an enormous sculpture between the flat eastern part of Funen and equally flat Zealand. The slim silhouette hovers elegantly above the water surface. The proportions between pylons, the slight curve of the roadway and the enormous cables are in perfect balance when seen from a distance as well as from the bridge itself. The trip across the bridge through the pylons is a dizzying, almost cathedral-like experience - sky, sea, light and bridge form a synthesis.
Denmark became smaller
It took seven years to complete the enormous suspension bridge. New road signs, showing directions to Odense, emerged along the Zealand motorways. And conversely - on Funen, the distance to Copenhagen was suddenly abbreviated to little more than an hour by car or train. Today, the bridge is a symbol of the linking of the Danish island kingdom. Denmark shrank.
Jeppe Villadsen is a freelance journalist and editor of the magazine KBH.
The East Bridge over The Great Belt
Photo: Simon Ladefoged.