{"id":1401,"date":"2022-01-25T19:43:10","date_gmt":"2022-01-25T19:43:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ernstkers.nl\/blog\/?p=1401"},"modified":"2024-04-06T21:13:38","modified_gmt":"2024-04-06T21:13:38","slug":"ponte-luis-i","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ernstkers.nl\/blog\/ponte-luis-i\/","title":{"rendered":"Ponte Lu\u00eds I"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The Ponte Lu\u00eds I<\/strong> seen from the side of Vila Nova de Gaia, about 1995<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Ponte Lu\u00eds I, often called the Ponte Dom Lu\u00eds, connects the central parts of Porto and VN de Gaia. It had and has a major role in the public transport of Porto and is one of the most important landmarks of the city. This bridge with two decks was built in the 1880\u2019s as successor of the from 1843 dating Ponte P\u00eansil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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The Ponte P\u00eansil Dona Maria II<\/strong>, commonly called just Ponte P\u00eansil<\/strong>, was built in 1843 and demolished in 1887 after the inauguration of the Ponte Lu\u00eds I.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The design of the Ponte Lu\u00eds I was by T\u00e9ofile Seyrig, who with Gustave Eiffel had founded in 1869 the Eiffel & Cie Company. When still in partnership with Eiffel, Seyrig had designed the Ponte Dona Maria Pia railway bridge a few kilometres upstream across the Douro, which was built in 1876-1877 by Eiffel & Cie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Ponte Dona Maria Pia<\/strong> is a former railway bridge opened in 1877. With that the main railway line in Portugal between Lisboa and Porto was finished. The bridge was replaced on 24 June 1991 by the new constructed Ponte de S\u00e3o Jo\u00e3o. The photo was taken 2 February 1992, just over seven months after its retirement.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After a dispute Seyrig left Eiffel & Cie in 1879 and joined the Willebroeck company. For building the Ponte Lu\u00eds I the design of Seyrig (Willebroeck) was preferred above those of Eiffel and several other competitors. The upper deck of the Ponte Lu\u00eds I was opened in 1886, the lower deck in 1888.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The total length of the upper deck is about 385 m, the lower deck about 145 m and the level difference between both decks about 45 m. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ponte Lu\u00eds I ca.1910 seen from the Porto side. On the bridge is, among other traffic, a tram visible. At the VN de Gaia end the excavation works are still in progress and the support walls for Serra do Pilar are not yet built.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Unused horse \/ mule tram tracks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With the construction of the Ponte Lu\u00eds I, tram tracks were laid on the upper deck of the bridge. These tracks were, like the bridge itself, owned by the Ministerio das Obras Publicas. The idea was that tram companies could use these tracks with horse or mule trams with paying a fee. The gauge of these tracks was 900 mm. Although concessions for tramlines across the bridge were granted, these came never into existence. In 1903 the old but never used tracks were removed from the bridge because they couldn’t be used for the projected electric tramlines to VN de Gaia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This photo was taken about 1920 on the upper deck of the bridge and shows a tram using two trolley-poles.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Electric trams<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The electric tramlines to Gaia using the upper deck of the bridge were opened on 28 October 1905. One line went to Sto. Ov\u00eddio while the other went to Devesas.
On the bridge two trolley poles had to be used to prevent corrosion of the iron by stray electric currents. A number of tramcars were equipped with a second trolley pole for use on the lines to Gaia. In fact the fear for corrosion was overdone. There was no risk as long as the bridge was sufficiently earthed, but this wasn’t yet established knowledge around 1900. From 1933 the trams could run across the bridge with one trolley-pole.
In 1930 the single track on the bridge (situated at the eastern side) was changed to double track. The centres of the tracks were just 2.43 m apart, which meant that only narrow cars could be used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ribeira with the Ponte Lu\u00eds I about 1915. Just visible are the never used tram tracks on Ribeira to the lower deck of the bridge.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There was also a tramline projected with the route Infante – Rua de S\u00e3o Jo\u00e3o – Pra\u00e7a da Ribeira – Ribeira – lower deck of the Ponte Dom Luis I – VN de Gaia. Although tracks were installed in 1912 between Infante and the bridge, this line was never opened. The tracks were removed a few years later again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Access routes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When the Ponte Lu\u00eds I was built there were not yet straight wide roads to the upper deck. At the side of VN de Gaia was the hill of Serra do Pilar obstructing the shortest route for several more decades. Also the trams had to make a detour around the west side of the hill. After huge works to excavate the western part of the hill, the direct road could be made and the tramlines got a shorter straight route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo made in 1914 on the upper deck looking in the direction of VN de Gaia. The excavation works are still in progress.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At the Porto side was a dense built-up area of very old houses with only the route via Rua Loureiro and Rua Ch\u00e3 wide enough for trams, but still that narrow that only single track could be installed. A second but longer route existed via Pra\u00e7a da Batalha, which became the main route of the Gaia tramlines. The route via Rua Loureiro and Rua Ch\u00e3 was soon abandoned. A wide road between Pra\u00e7a Almeida Garrett and the bridge was already planned during the first decade of the 20th century, but could only be constructed after the demolition of the houses in the area during the late 1940’s. By that time the plans for replacing the trams by trolleybuses were already under development and the trams never used the new road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The lower deck of the Ponte Lu\u00eds I seen from the Porto end in the direction of VN de Gaia, 9 February 2012.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The access to the lower deck at the Porto side was via the busy quay of Ribeira. Only in 1956 the T\u00fanel da Ribeira was inaugurated and through traffic didn’t have to use the old route anymore. At the Gaia side the access was always, and still is via the road at the river side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trolleybuses, Diesel buses and Eurotrams<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 1959 the tramlines across the bridge were replaced by trolleybuses. In contrast to the trams the trolleybuses also used the lower deck. In 1993 all trolleybus services across the bridge were replaced by Diesel buses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The upper deck of the Ponte Lu\u00eds I seen from the Gaia end in the direction of Porto with a pair of Eurotrams of the Metro do Porto, 4 February 2016.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In 2003 following the opening of the adjacent Ponte Infante Dom Henrique all traffic across the upper deck was suspended to enable the renovation of the bridge and make it suitable for use by line D of the Metro do Porto. This line was opened on 17 September 2005. The upper deck of the bridge was made wider to accommodate the Eurotrams and is now reserved to the Metro do Porto and pedestrians. The lower deck is still used by road traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Ponte Lu\u00eds I seen from Ribeira with behind it the Ponte Infante Dom Henrique, 4 February 2016.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For 77 years the Ponte Lu\u00eds I was the only road bridge across the Douro between Porto and VN de Gaia. It couldn’t cope with the increasing traffic and new bridges were constructed. First in 1963 the Ponte d’Arr\u00e1bida several kilometers to the west. In 1995 followed the Ponte do Freixo several kilometers to the east. In 2003 the Ponte Infante Dom Henrique was opened, several hundreds of meters east of the Ponte Lu\u00eds I and meant as replacement for the upper deck of the latter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gallery<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Over the time the Ponte Lu\u00eds I was always a popular subject for photos and postcards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A very old photo of the Ponte Lu\u00eds I, likely made about 1893. In the centre \/ background is the old Elevador de Guindais visible that operated from 1891 to 1893. The high position of the photographer can be explained by the fact that the hill (morro) where is now the Jardim do Morro wasn’t yet excavated.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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This photo made about 1908 was also taken from the later excavated hill where is now the Jardim do Morro.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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For this about 1910 made photo the photographer took a lower position where it’s still possible to take photos.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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This photo was taken about 1995.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Still at the Gaia side, but now east of the bridge about 1910.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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A bit further to the east and at a lower level, likely about 1935.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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This photo was taken about 1995. Nowadays it would show the Ponte Infante Dom Henrique in the foreground.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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One of the best known views on the Ponte Lu\u00eds I is from Ribeira as on this 1994 taken photo. At the right is the Serra do Pilar, from where one has an amazing view over the city and the bridge.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Photo taken from Serra do Pilar about 1928.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Photo taken from Serra do Pilar about 1935.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Photo taken from Serra do Pilar about 1956.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Photo taken from Serra do Pilar about 1999, still with the upper deck used by road traffic..<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Photo taken from Serra do Pilar on 5 May 2009 now with the (widened) upper deck in use by the Metro do Porto. In the background at the far left is the Ponte da Arr\u00e1bida visible.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The Ponte Lu\u00eds I at night seen from Serra do Pilar, 5 December 2013.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n