Danube bridges

Between 1890-1895, after almost 18 centuries since the bridge of Apolodor in Damasc has been built, the Danube's shores were again joined together through the construction of Cernavoda and Borcea bridges.

Bucuresti-Ciulnita-Fetesti track was designed in 1879. Thus it was possible the unification of the capital with the Black Sea through Constanta-Cernavoda track, built since 1860 by Offenheim company.

The Romanian Government organized two international competitions for the design and the construction of some bridges over the Danube and Borcea branch.

Unfortunately, the Government has not achieved the expected results so it ascertained the design and the construction to the Romanian engineers who were in the service of the General Direction of CFR railways for Fetesti-Cernavoda track. The engineer Anghel Saligny, a famous constructor of metal bridges, professor at the national School of Bridges and Roads, Department of Bridges, supervised the group of engineers.

In the accomplished projects whose estimation was checked up seven times, the crossing of Danube at Cernavoda was provided through a bridge with a central opening of 190 m and other four openings of 140 m, beside to a viaduct with 15 openings of 60 m.

A bridge, with three openings of 140 m and 11 openings of 50 m, was designed and realized over Borcea branch. A viaduct with 34 openings of 42 m was designed and built between the two branches of the stream, over a 14-km wide water.

Thus, the 4087,95 m of bridges formed at that time the longest complex of bridges built in Europe.

On October 9th/21st, 1890, the beginning of works at Danube bridge was realized in Cernavoda. This bridge was designed and built at 30 m over the Danube in order to allow the crossing of vessels with the highest cargoes.

The railway beds Fetesti-Cernavoda (21 km) that joined together three bridges represented the most important work in this field in Romania, the total volume being around 2.950.000mc.

The total cost of works (which lasted 5 years) was of 35 million golden lei, including also the cost of the tracks and railway stations. The inauguration of the bridges was on September 14th/26th, 1895, as part as a famous solemnity where His Majesty King Carol I participated, too.

The authorities traveled by a special train from the North Railway Station in Bucharest at 9.05 arriving in Fetesti at 12.30.

After the last rivet, a silver rivet was nailed, there were the inauguration of the document and a religious ceremony. The testing train composed by 15 railway engines passed over the bridge at a speed of 60 km/h, in a huge noise produced by the locomotives' whistles, the sirens of the ships on the Danube and by the fanfares' songs. Immediately after that trained passed, another one crossed over the bridge at a speed of 80 km/h.

All that time, Anghel Saligny stayed under the bridge on a boat, next to the workers who realized the splendid work.

That time, the bridge over the Danube in Cernavoda was named after the name of Majesty Carol I. It was the longest bridge in Europe and had the largest opening (190m) in Continental Europe. The complex of the three railway bridges was also the longest one in the world.

The bridge has been considered one of the most beautiful metal bridges in the world due to the symmetrical disposition of the supports to the central opening, to the optimal height over the sea and to the consonant and supple general outline.

Railway links with the neighboring countries

Romania has a number of 15 railway links with all the five neighboring countries: Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Ukraine and Moldavia.

With Bulgaria:
- through Russe limit point for Bucuresti-Sofia track
- through Negru Voda limit point for Medgidia-Bazargic track
- through Vidin limit point through the intermediary ferryboat Calafat-Vidin

With Yugoslavia:
- through Jimbolia limit point for Timisoara-Kikinda track
- through Stamora Moravita limit point for Timisoara -Belgrad track

With Hungary:
- through Curtici limit point for Arad -Budapesta track
- through Salonta limit point for Salonta-Kotegyan track
- through Episcopia Bihor limit point for the traffic between Oradea-Szolnok
- through Carei limit point for Carei-Nyrabrany track.

With Ukraine:
- through Halmeu limit point for Satu Mare-Diakovo track
- through Campulung la Tisa limit point that links Sighetu Marmatiei -Teresva
- through Valea Viseului limit point for Sighetu Marmatiei-Rahov track
- through Viscani limit point for Suceava-Lvov track
- through Reni limit point for Galati-Balti track

With Moldavia:
- through Ungheni limit point for Iasi-Chisinau track
- through Falciu limit point for Zorleni-Prut track

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