Built in 1908 and opened on 13 June 1909, the Vecsalaca Bridge offers a characteristic view of the Salaca River valley, a nature reserve along one of Latvia’s most important salmon rivers.
The Vecsalaca Bridge has five spans and consists of continuous two-span beams on the banks, following a configuration of 17.90 m + 17.90 m, and a separate 18.15 m beam in the middle of the bridge. The bridge cross-section originally contained four beams. Diaphragms were installed above the supports.
Beam height above the supports: 2.04 m; at mid-span: 1.44 m.
Deck slab thickness: 0.14 m.
Carriageway width: 4.5 m. Footpath width: 1.25 m.
The bridge played an important role in the development of transport routes in the Salaca area, as at that time the only crossing in the very centre of Salacgrīva was a ferry. In 1944, as German troops retreated, they blew up the abutments and the outer spans of the continuous beam structure. In the post-war period, these sections were rebuilt using timber structures, and the bridge remained in use in this form until 1962, when the supports and spans were restored to their original appearance. The concrete river piers damaged in the explosion were repaired by encasing them in reinforced concrete.
The opening ceremony was led by the Governor of Vidzeme. The 20 June 1909 issue of Limbažu Ziņas reported:
“At the beginning of the town boundary on the Riga side, a ceremonial arch had been erected, where the guests were welcomed by the district chief. The distinguished guest arrived by automobile with his entourage and, after exchanging greetings, immediately proceeded to the Orthodox church. He then visited the town council. At 6 p.m., the automobile took the guest onwards to Salaca to open the iron-concrete bridge built across the Salaca River near Vecsalaca Manor. The following gentlemen were also present at the opening: the resident Landrat, the Land Marshal, Baron Stackelberg, director of the Vidzeme–Estonia Land Cultural Bureau, the district deputy Baron Wolff of Dikļi, the chief engineer of the provincial administration and the construction manager, Engineer …”
Reinforced concrete bridges became established in the territory of Latvia earlier than in other provinces of the Russian Empire because the German reinforced-concrete construction company “Wayss und Freytag A.G.” operated here. The Vecsalaca Bridge is one of two bridges from the early period of the reinforced-concrete era on Latvia’s country roads that have survived partly intact. The other is the bridge over the Gauja River near Strenči.
A new reinforced-concrete bridge was built in the centre of Salacgrīva in 1960, and the historic bridge is now used only for local traffic. It was also used in 1994, when repairs were being carried out on the new bridge.
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