Dragon Bridge in Ljubljana

Dragon Bridge in Ljubljana

Dragon Bridge is one of the first reinforced concrete bridges in Europe, located in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. The Dragon Bridge is often rated as the most beautiful bridge created by the Viennese Secession (an association of Viennese artists during the Art Nouveau era). It is these dragons on the bridge that have become a city landmark and one of the symbols of the capital city, you can buy a small copy of the bridge today in any Ljubljana souvenir shop.

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General information

The bridge that existed on this site was damaged by a strong earthquake, after which a new bridge was built between 1900 and 1901, originally called the Jubilee Bridge of Emperor Franz Joseph I. But soon after its opening, the official name of the bridge was forgotten and it became known as the Dragon Bridge because of the four dragon statues located on its corners.

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The bridge was designed by Austrian engineer Josef Melan, who specialized in reinforced concrete structures, and was designed by Dalmatian architect Jurij Zaninovics, a graduate of the Otto Wagner School of Architecture in Vienna. The Dragon Bridge was built according to the Melan system, which had gained prestige, especially in the USA and Germany, as a bridge builder who did not require supporting piers. Rigid iron arch trusses built into the concrete structure of the bridge act as supports, the core of the bridge, which supports the entire load, is also considered to be the iron trusses, which once poured with concrete become part of the supporting structure.

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According to legend, Jason, the founder of Ljubljana, together with other Argonauts killed a dragon, and this dragon is now in one of the four statues of the bridge. Locals believe that when a virgin walks across the bridge, the dragons start wagging their tails.