Cars can once again drive across the suspension bridge in Bystrá after years

Bystrá nad Jizerou - In Bystrá nad Jizerou in the Semily region, personal cars can cross the wooden bridge after four years, which is among the national cultural monuments. The repair of the suspension bridge cost nearly five million crowns. Its reopening will mainly help the locals, said the mayor of Bystrá, Lukáš Nesvadba, to ČTK today.

"In the direction to Semily, it is at least four kilometers shorter route and on a better road. The regional road, which leads around the village, is in very poor condition," said the mayor. Trucks are not allowed on the wooden bridge, which is three meters wide and five meters high, as it was not built to bear their weight.

The bridge over the Jizeru had been in a state of emergency since 2013 and previously belonged to Bystrá. However, the small municipality with 120 residents struggled for a long time to find money for its repair, as the costs would cover three of its annual budgets. The repair was eventually funded by the resources of the Liberec Region and the state, lasting over a year. The Ministry of Culture provided one million crowns, and the rest was covered by the region. The region considers the bridge to be a regionally unique monument and agreed with the municipality to take it over after the repairs. "It will be managed by the Museum of the Bohemian Paradise in Turnov, which will ensure that the historical value of the structure is preserved in the future," stated governor Martin Půta (STAN).

The Bystrá bridge, over 30 meters long, is one of the rare representatives of the classic triangular suspension bridge structure in Central Europe. "For the nearest similar one, interested parties would have to travel all the way to Austria," said Liberec Region spokeswoman Marie Šimice. There has probably never been such a bridge in the region in the past. Stone bridges have been typical for the region since the Middle Ages. Its uniqueness lies not only in the method of construction but also in the material used.

"In 1922, it was built by local miller Janoušek, who insisted on importing the main massive beams from Vítkovice in the Krkonošsko Mountains," said the regional councilor for tourism Květa Vinklátová (Mayors for the Liberec Region). According to her, the mountain climate was able to ensure the high density of the wood and thus its greater strength and longevity. "The builder made a good choice, as despite heavy use and age, the bridge remained intact in its authentic original form until the beginning of the reconstruction,” she added. The mayor of Bystrá believes that after the repair, the bridge will remain in operation without the need for major reconstruction for at least another 90 years. This should be aided by the fact that during the replacement of the decayed wooden parts, the carpenters used larch instead of spruce, which is more durable.