The Žďákovský Bridge has spanned the Orlická Dam for 50 years

Prague - The business card of the Žďákov Bridge over the Vltava River near Písek, which will be opened for cars after repairs on September 16:

- The Žďákov Bridge, which was opened on April 27, 1967, is an exceptional technical monument due to its dimensions and construction. The bridge is unique in that it connects both banks of the Orlík Reservoir with a single arch. It is the largest arch steel bridge in the Czech Republic. At one time, the bridge also topped world rankings.

- The Žďákov Bridge was constructed from 1958 to 1967, with a break from 1960 to 1964. A total of 4,116 tons of steel were used for its construction, of which 3,100 tons were for the arch. The costs were estimated at 71 million crowns, including anti-corrosion protection.

- The bridge features a solid two-joint arch with a span of 379.6 meters between the supports, and the total length of the arch is 542.9 meters. The height of the road above the water level of the reservoir is approximately 50 meters (and more than 100 meters to the former riverbed). The construction project of the bridge was developed by Pragoprojekt and Hutní projekt Praha. The designer was Oskar Oehler, and the architectural solution was created by Karel Vejmelka.

- The bridge is named after the settlement of Žďákov near Chrást, which was submerged by the reservoir and ceased to exist.

- The Žďákov Bridge has become a landmark of the entire central Povltaví region. Even during its construction, it was anticipated that it would attract tourists due to its stunning views, and it is also popular among adrenaline bungee jumpers. The bridge has a dark past as well—during the so-called Orlík murders in the 1990s, a gang used it to dump its victims in barrels to the bottom of the reservoir.

- The bridge is regularly maintained and repaired. For example, during an inspection in 1998, three long cracks caused by frozen water were discovered in the bridge deck beam. After repairs, holes were made in the reinforcements to prevent the situation from occurring again.

- The bridge on road I/19 has been under reconstruction since last June, which will last until October 2017. It will be opened for cars on September 16 but will remain closed to pedestrians. The repair of this technical monument will cost 146 million crowns excluding tax.

- In 2001, during the Bridges 2001 symposium in Brno, the Žďákov Bridge was awarded the Bridge of the Century in the category of steel road bridges.