původní červenský železniční most Railway bridge

Welcome to one of the most significant technical structures in our region. You are standing in front of the original railway bridge at Red above the Vltava River, which is dominated by its massive construction and deep beneath it is the valley of the Vltava River. If you look at it now, you will see a fascinating interplay of steel and space that carries echoes of ancient times when the railroad was changing the face of the entire European continent. It is a place where the courage of the then builders meets the natural beauty of the surrounding nature.

Now let's move back more than a hundred and thirty years in time. This bridge was not only a common link between two shores, but was a key part of an ambitious project called the Czech Moravian Transverse. The aim was to create an important railway line connecting Tábor and Rajice to facilitate transport across the territory. Work on this construction took place between 1886 and 1889. Imagine what a challenge it must have been when there were no modern cranes or computer calculations. Yet this colossal building was completed and officially opened on November 20th, 1889. At the time of its creation it was one of the most important bridge structures in all of Austria, which shows a high level of engineering.

Now pay attention to the very structure that surrounds you. Look up and see the dimensions of this work. The bridge is two hundred and fifty-three meters long and its height is sixty-eight meters. It's a real steel giant. Note the precision with which the parts are connected. Although steel may now seem to be common material, in the late nineteenth century it was a symbol of progress and strength. The whole structure weighs an incredible nine hundred forty tons. If you look very carefully at the connections, you will see thousands of tiny metal nails called rivets. In total, there are 3,200 thousand in the bridge. Each of them was burned by hand, which required enormous patience and precision of thousands of workers.

While the names of specific architects remained hidden and unknown in time, we know that Prague Mostárna was behind the implementation of this building. It was top of the line in the industry that was able to turn plans into this tangible reality. The price for this work at the time was estimated at five hundred and ten thousand gold pieces. It is fascinating to think how much work and capital has been invested in this one point in the landscape so that trains can safely overcome the deep Vltava Valley.

When you pass by, feel the atmosphere of a place that served as a living artery for thousands of passengers and tons of cargo. The bridge was so valued that already in 1988 it was first registered in the register of cultural monuments. Although there have been some changes in later years, in 2021 the bridge was officially declared a cultural monument, confirming its irreplaceable value for our history and technical heritage.

Now, I want to impress you with one interesting thing that will help you see the size of this place better. By the time the bridge was completed, it was the second highest bridge in Austria. Imagine the feeling of the first passengers who dared to run over these steel rods at 60 meters above the river level. It was a sense of freedom, but probably a slight tingle in the knees. This bridge was a symbol of man's victory over the terrain, a bridge to modern times.

Today, however, we are entering a new chapter in the history of this place. The railway operation, which lasted more than a century, was definitively completed on the 14th August of the year two thousand twenty-four. That means no more trains on these tracks. The bridge is now passing from the role of the transport hub to the role of the silent witness of history. It's a stop point where a useful tool becomes a monument.

Now, let's take some time for our own observation. Go through the surroundings, see the silence that is now in existence, and think about how many stories have happened here over the years. Who all crossed that bridge, where they traveled, and what they felt when they looked down into the depths of the valley. This steel structure with its hundreds of thousands of rivets is like an open book on industrial revolution and human effort.

Thank you for accompanying me on this short trip to history. I hope you have felt pride and admiration for the people who built this colossus. Now invited to further explore the surroundings and your own admiration for this unique building. We wish you a pleasant rest of the day and a pleasant experience in discovering other gems of our landscape. Goodbye.