An underwater sea tunnel connecting Sweden and Denmark. Bridge between denmark and sweden that goes under water
Recently, Danish Copenhagen and Swedish Malmö are connected by a unique road-railway bridge-tunnel.
The construction of the Øresund bridge-tunnel began in 1995 and was completed on August 14, 1999. Despite the fact that a couple of important incidents prevented the construction - the discovery of 18 unexploded shells from the Second World War at the bottom of the sea and the distortion of one of the segments of the tunnel - the bridge was completed 3 months earlier than planned
The completion of construction was marked by a symbolic meeting between the Danish Prince Frederik and the Swedish Crown Princess Victoria in the middle of the bridge. The official opening took place on July 1, 2000, already with the participation of the monarchs themselves - Queen Margrethe II, and King Carl XVI Gustaf
The appearance of the project of such an unusual structure was facilitated by the fact that Denmark and Sweden are included in the Schengen zone and passport control was canceled between them and customs control was simplified
Initially, the passage on the bridge was very expensive - in an attempt to recoup its unprecedented cost, the government appointed too high price- therefore, it was used by a few, but subsequently, in 2005-2006, the traffic intensity increased significantly. Analysts attribute this to the fact that many Danes bought houses in Malmö, Sweden, which were inexpensive by the standards of Danish salaries, and traveled to work in Denmark along the Øresund bridge. In this regard, discounts of up to 75% of the fare were introduced for people who regularly cross it.
In 2008 road access on the bridge cost 36.3 euros (260 Danish or 325 SEK). In 2007, almost 25 million people crossed the bridge, of which more than 15 million - on their own vehicles and almost 10 million - on trains
Øresund Bridge includes a double track railway and a four-lane highway. Its total length is 7845 meters, every 140 of which the bearing beam of the bridge rests on concrete pillars. The main span has a height of 57 meters, which allows most ships to safely pass under it, although many prefer a calm passage over the tunnel itself, to which the bridge connects on artificial island, nicknamed for its form Peberholm (Island-Pepper)
By inertia, the Danes, with their inherent sense of humor, decided to give a new name to the natural island, which is now called none other than Saltholm (Island-Salt). Peberholm Island is 4 kilometers long and 500 meters wide on average. The building material for it was rock fragments and tons of rock raised from the bottom during dredging during the construction of the bridge.
The island of Peberholm is connected to the Danish artificial peninsula Kastrup on the island of Amager by the 4-kilometer Drogden Tunnel. More precisely, its length is 4050 meters, which includes 270 meters of portals at both exits and 3510 meters of flat underwater part.
During the construction of the tunnel to the bottom of the strait, 20 reinforced concrete segments of 55 thousand tons each were lowered into a specially dug channel, which were then combined into one. In total, 5 pipes pass through the Drogden tunnel - two each for rail and road traffic, and a fifth, smaller pipe for emergencies
Why was such a strange half-bridge-half-tunnel built across the strait? Why did the government of the two countries go to additional expenses and the difficulties associated with the construction of the tunnel? The reason lies in the proximity of Copenhagen Airport (a conventional bridge would prevent aircraft from taking off and landing), plus this design made it possible not to restrict shipping traffic through Øresund
In total, more than 30 billion Danish kroner (based on the exchange rate of the Danish krone in 2000) was spent on the construction of the Øresund bridge-tunnel - an amount that will pay off only by 2035. In addition, in order to expand the railway interchange coming from the bridge, in 2006 the Swedish side spent another 9.45 billion SEK on the city tunnel in Malmö, the construction of which was completed in 2011
In 2010, a road trip across the bridge cost 39 euros, a motorcycle ride 21 euros, and a train ride 9 euros. But the fee is gradually growing - today, in order to drive through the Øresund bridge-tunnel by car, you will have to pay 43 euros
Small Swedish city ok Malmö is known to many thanks to the amazing skyscraper
Recently, Danish Copenhagen and Swedish Malmö are connected by a unique road-rail bridge-tunnel.
(Total 14 photos)
1. The construction of the Øresund bridge-tunnel began in 1995 and was completed on August 14, 1999. Despite the fact that a couple of important incidents prevented the construction - the discovery of 18 unexploded shells from the Second World War at the bottom of the sea and the warping of one of the segments of the tunnel - the bridge was completed 3 months earlier than planned
2. The completion of construction was marked by a symbolic meeting between the Danish Prince Frederik and the Swedish Crown Princess Victoria in the middle of the bridge. The official opening took place on July 1, 2000, already with the participation of the monarchs themselves - Queen Margrethe II, and King Carl XVI Gustaf
3. The appearance of the project itself of such an unusual structure was facilitated by the fact that Denmark and Sweden are part of the Schengen zone and passport control was canceled between them and customs control was simplified
4. Initially, the bridge was very expensive to cross - in an attempt to recoup its unprecedented cost, the government charged too high a price - so it was used by a few, but subsequently, in 2005-2006, traffic increased significantly. Analysts attribute this to the fact that many Danes bought houses in Malmö, Sweden, which were inexpensive by the standards of Danish salaries, and traveled to work in Denmark along the Øresund bridge. In this regard, discounts of up to 75% of the fare were introduced for people who regularly cross it.
5. In 2008, a road trip across the bridge cost 36.3 euros (260 Danish or 325 SEK). In 2007, almost 25 million people crossed the bridge, of which more than 15 million - on their own vehicles and almost 10 million - on trains
6. Øresund Bridge includes a double-track railway and a four-lane highway. Its total length is 7845 meters, every 140 of which the bearing beam of the bridge rests on concrete pillars. The main span has a height of 57 meters, which allows most ships to safely pass under it, although many prefer a calm passage over the tunnel itself, with which the bridge connects on an artificial island, nicknamed Peberholm (Pepper Island) for its shape
8. By inertia, the Danes, with their inherent sense of humor, decided to give a new name to the natural island located just to the north, which is now called none other than Saltholm (Island-Salt). Peberholm Island is 4 kilometers long and 500 meters wide on average. The building material for it was rock fragments and tons of rock raised from the bottom during dredging during the construction of the bridge.
9. The island of Peberholm is connected with the Danish artificial peninsula Kastrup on the island of Amager by the 4-kilometer Drogden tunnel. More precisely, its length is 4050 meters, which includes 270 meters of portals at both exits and 3510 meters of flat underwater part.
10. During the construction of the tunnel to the bottom of the strait, 20 reinforced concrete segments of 55 thousand tons each were lowered into a specially dug channel, which were then combined into one. In total, 5 pipes pass through the Drogden tunnel - two each for rail and road traffic, and a fifth, smaller pipe for emergencies
11. Why was such a strange half-bridge-half-tunnel built across the strait? Why did the government of the two countries go to the additional expense and complexity associated with the construction of the tunnel? The reason lies in the proximity of Copenhagen Airport (a conventional bridge would prevent aircraft from taking off and landing), plus this design made it possible not to restrict shipping traffic through Øresund
12. In total, more than 30 billion Danish kroner (based on the exchange rate of the Danish krone in 2000) was spent on the construction of the Øresund bridge-tunnel - an amount that will pay off only by 2035. In addition, in order to expand the railway interchange coming from the bridge, in 2006 the Swedish side spent another 9.45 billion SEK on the city tunnel in Malmö, the construction of which was completed in 2011
13. In 2010, a car ride on the bridge cost 39 euros, a motorcycle ride 21 euros, and a train ride 9 euros. But the fee is gradually growing - today, in order to drive through the Øresund bridge-tunnel by car, you will have to pay 43 euros
14. The small Swedish town of Malmö is known to many thanks to the amazing Turning Torso skyscraper.
In 1994, the UK and France were connected by a unique Eurotunnel under the English Channel, which became an unprecedented phenomenon in the history of world engineering. But Sweden and Denmark can also boast of their unique attraction. In 1999, these two European powers were connected by the Øresund Bridge, amazing in its beauty and unique in design. Let's take a closer look at this engineering structure and present some interesting facts about the Øresund Bridge.
Name
Even during the construction of the bridge over the Øresund Strait, a dispute began between Denmark and Sweden over the name of the grandiose engineering structure. In Sweden it is called Öresundsbron, but in Denmark it is called Øresundsbroen. The company that built the structure reconciled the citizens of the two states, insisting that after the bridge was put into operation, the inhabitants of the surrounding areas were citizens of Öresund.
This, according to the developer, symbolizes the cultural and historical community of the region. The structure is a line consisting of an artificial island, the actual bridge and an underwater tunnel. Because of this, Europeans call this transport line the "Öresund Communication" or "Öresund Line".
On the Internet and guidebooks, you can also find the name Oresund Bridge.
Construction history
The bridge connecting the two states began to be built in 1995, and the project itself was adopted back in the 80s of the last century. When they began to drive piles, in one of the places in the strait, the builders found 16 unexploded air bombs. They lay in sea water since the naval battles between Germany and the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition. It took some time to clear the bottom, and during the construction of the tunnel they discovered a segment skew, which also took extra time to correct.
Despite the difficulties and obstacles encountered, construction was completed 3 months ahead of schedule, and the bridge between Denmark and Sweden opened on August 14, 1999.
Now there is no need for ferry crossing from Copenhagen to Malmö, and the bridge became a symbol of Sweden's unification with mainland Europe.
Design features…
Talking about this amazing engineering structure that connected, it is worth mentioning some of the features of its design.
Factors that influenced the design
Two factors influenced the fact that the bridge gradually goes into a tunnel on the artificially created island of Peberholm. Firstly, on the Danish side, where the bridge would go, there is the airport of the Danish capital, so the high supports interfered with Copenhagen's air communication with the world. The second factor is that a bridge that is too low would interfere with navigation in the Øresund Strait. Therefore, it was decided to conduct part of the connecting crossing under the waters of the sea strait.
For the construction of the tunnel, builders from rocks specially poured an artificial island, naming it with humor "Pepper Island". And the fact is that Saltholm is located in the same strait, the name of which in Russian sounds “Salt Island”.
Miraculously, the bridge goes under water on the island of Peberholm and comes to the surface already from the Danish side of the same artificial Kastrup peninsula.
From the artificial island, trenches were dug along the seabed, in which 5 rows of concrete blocks were laid. Trains move along two rows, cars move along two more rows, and communications are laid in the fifth row of blocks. From the tunnel you immediately get to Copenhagen.
The length of the underwater part of the tunnel is 3,510 m. From both sides, portals 270 m long approach the tunnel. Thus, the total length of Drogden is 4,050 m.
The surface structure above the Øresund Bay begins in the Swedish city of Malmö and, after 7,845 m, goes underground. The bridge itself is two-level, on one, the upper one, a 4-lane highway for cars was laid, trains rush along the second level. From the lower tier to the water 57 m.
The speed of the train on the bridge reaches 200 km / h, but the train in the underwater tunnel moves a little slower, and immediately from the unique tunnel gets to the Kastrup airport station.
By the way, you can find out about it on our website.
Interestingly, the two neighboring countries have different electric voltage power for railway lines. But on the bridge, the voltage and signaling were leveled according to the standards adopted in Denmark.
The central span of the handsome bridge has a length of 490 m. By design, this cable-stayed bridge, the height of the pylons is 204 m.
Cultural heritage
The bridge has become a real symbol of the two states, and Sweden even depicted it on the emblem of the Eurovision Song Contest, held in Malmö in 2013.
The first footage of the action-packed Swedish-Danish detective series The Bridge begins with a high-profile murder on the Øresund Bridge, and for 7 years the plot of the film kept the audience in suspense.
In the lyrics of the song "Walk Me to the Bridge" by the British band "Manic Street Preachers", there are references to this miracle of engineering technology. The album was called "Futurology", and was released in 2014.
The most popular research channel "National Geographic" could not ignore interesting topic Swedish-Danish bridge, and released a special film on the history of its construction and operation.
On souvenirs and tourist postcards of the two camps, you can find the image of the bridge, and the Danes and Swedes consider it their attraction. So in terms of popularity, it is not inferior to such symbols of countries as the Copenhagen mermaid, or Stockholm Carlson.
The Øresund Bridge is depicted on the Swedish 500-krona banknote, which came into circulation in 2015. The Danish krone has not yet acquired such an image.
Interesting Facts…
Well, actually Interesting Facts and events associated with this amazing engineering structure.
First projects
For the first time, the construction of such a bridge was discussed back in the 30s of the twentieth century. But then everything remained at the level of talk, since there were neither funds nor technical capabilities to create such a bridge structure.
They returned to the idea in the late 80s, and when they solved the problem of access to the Danish side with the help of a tunnel, they started concrete construction plans.
Location selection
The distance between the Danish city of Helsingor and the Swedish Helsingborg along the same Øresund Strait is only 4.7 km. They are located south of the capital Denmark and Malmö, and sea current it is stronger here, so we decided to guard the bridge in the place where we observe it today.
Another factor is that the depth of the strait, where Helsingør and Helsingborg lie opposite each other, is only 10 m, but near the island of Saltholm it is 41 m.
The bridge was opened three times
On August 14, 1999, the heirs of the Swedish and Danish crowns, Crown Princess Victoria and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, each began to move across the bridge from their own country. The heirs met, as planned by the organizers of the celebration, in the middle of the bridge.
On June 12, 2000, an athlete's run took place on an empty bridge from traffic. Nearly 80,000 Swedish and Danish runners tested the strength of the structure.
But the official traffic on the bridge began only on July 1, 2000. At the opening, Queen Margrethe II and King Carl XVI Gustaf were guests of honor at the opening. After the handshake of the monarchs, the first cars drove along the highway, and the first passengers got into neighboring countries not by ferry, but by rail.
Payback
The funds that the construction company spent on construction, according to experts, will pay off only by 2035. This also included the amount of 9.4 billion in Swedish currency, which the country spent in 2011 on an underwater tunnel to the bridge.
Problem
Despite all the advantages and magnificence of a grandiose engineering structure, the bridge has its own problems. It has excellent traffic capacity, but access roads to it cause a lot of problems. The main one is the constant traffic jams waiting to cross the bridge, both from the Swedish side and from the Danish side.
Border
Denmark and Sweden are included in the states of the Schengen Agreement, but the border between the powers lay at a distance of 5 km 300 m, reporting from the Swedish side.
Another connecting bridge
Interestingly, Sweden is connected by a bridge with another neighbor. The Svinesund Bridge is another unusual border crossing between states Scandinavian Peninsula Sweden and Norway. He, of course, not going under water, like a Danish-Swedish engineering masterpiece, but also not without its own characteristics.
By the way, on the pages of our site you can find an article. In the context of this material, it can be extremely interesting.
In conclusion, let us recall what other countries are connected by bridges, and there are not so many of them. The Ambassador Bridge connects Canadian Windsor and american city Detroit.
Dreiländerbrücke, or "Three Countries Bridge" in Russian, is laid over the Rhine, and connects France, Germany and Switzerland.
Let's stop here, because this is a topic for another study ...
The Øresund combined bridge - tunnel is the longest combined road in Europe, connecting the capital of Denmark and the Swedish city of Malmö, passing through the Øresund Strait. Øresund combined bridge includes a double-track railroad and a four-lane highway. This combined bridge is part of the international European route located along the E-20 highway.
The construction of the Øresund Bridge began in 1995 and was completed on August 14, 1999. The grand opening of the bridge took place on July 1, 2000, with the participation of Queen Margaret II and King Carl XVI Gustaf. The Øresund Bridge was opened for crossing on the same day. This combined road passes through the borders of Denmark and, but thanks to the Schengen agreement, the presence passport control absent. The normal customs check is carried out only for those who enter Sweden, and those who enter Denmark are not checked. 
This structure is a tunnel, road and island and is often referred to as the "Øresund Line" or "Øresund Connection". The length of the bridge is 7845 meters and is half the distance from Sweden and the Danish island of Amager. The weight of the entire bridge structure is 82,000 tons. The Øresund Bridge allows navigation in the alignment of the main span, the height of which is 57 meters. But, despite this, many ships prefer to pass through the Öresund Strait over the tunnel without hindrance. The bridge was designed by George Rotne and structural designer by Ove Arup.
The bridge connects to a tunnel on an artificial island, which is called Peberholm, which is translated as Pepper - an island. This name was chosen for him in the composition of the nearby island of Saltholm - Sol - island. From the island of Peberholm they made a nature reserve, the length of which is almost 4 kilometers, and with an average width of 500 meters.
The tunnel connects the artificial peninsula of Kastrup, on the Danish island of Amager, and the artificial island of Peberholm. The length of the tunnel is 4050 meters, of which 3510 meters are underwater and there are two portals 270 meters long each at both ends of the tunnel. The passage through the tunnel is paid, and is comparable to the price for the ferry, which was used before the construction of the Øresund bridge. Stands marked with a yellow sign accept Swedish kroner, Danish kroner, Norwegian krone, pounds sterling, Swiss francs, as well as dollars and euros. The prices for the Öressun Combined Bridge are constantly changing depending on the season, and as of January 2012 the price was 43 euros per car.
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The onset of the age of high technology has slightly diverted the attention of tourists from the ancient monuments of architecture. Increasingly, masterpieces of modern engineering are becoming the subject of delight and admiration. It is to them that the unique building of the end of the last millennium belongs - the Øresund Bridge - a tunnel connecting Copenhagen and Malmö.
Underwater bridge construction
Construction began in 1995. The project was a bridge between the Danish capital Copenhagen and the Swedish town of Malmö.
Having already begun to implement the plan, the workers opened terrible secret depths Baltic Sea: At the bottom of the Øresund Strait, 18 charges from the Second World War were found. In addition, an engineer's mistake led to the distortion of one of the parts of the bridge.
Total length: 7 845 m
Longest span: 490 m
Start of construction: 1995
Height: 204 m
Clearance: 57 m
Location: Malmö, Copenhagen
Despite all the difficulties that arose, the project was completed even ahead of schedule. The last work was carried out on August 14, 1999.
Princess Victoria of Sweden and Danish Prince Frederik met in the middle of the bridge almost immediately after its completion, cementing the friendship between the countries. The monarchs themselves - Queen Margrethe II and King Carl XVI Gustav - visited the building only a year later, and, thereby, appointed official opening Eressun bridge on July 1, 2000.
Unique Øresund bridge-tunnel
In fact, the Øresund Bridge does not reach the coast of Denmark. In order not to complicate the work of the Danish airport and to allow ships to move freely along the strait, the construction ends on the artificial island of Peberholm, where it literally dives into the depths of the sea.
Another version of the emergence of the tunnel is considered to be a rare species of mollusks that live off the coast of Denmark. In order not to damage them, the bridge had to be lowered under water.
Peberholm means "Pepper Island". It received this name from the Danes' pranksters for its peculiar shape.
On the other side of the island, the underwater tunnel Drogden originates, along which the path to Copenhagen continues. Its length is 4 kilometers, and its weight is 55 thousand tons. The channel for the tunnel was dug into seabed and is located at a depth of nine meters.
The bridge itself, connecting Denmark and Sweden, rises 57 meters above sea level, weighs 82 thousand tons and reaches a length of almost 8 kilometers. You can overcome this distance both by train and by car. For this, four lanes for motor vehicles are equipped, and immediately below them there are two railway tracks.
Travel features
Thanks to the Schengen Agreement, there is no passport or customs control. To a greater extent, this was precisely what served as the beginning of the construction of the Eressn bridge. It made it possible to bring the borders of the two states closer and significantly reduce the travel time.
The entire journey, including overcoming the underwater tunnel, takes no more than 50 minutes, and high-speed train – 25.
Traveling through this architectural masterpiece is quite expensive, relentlessly approaching the mark of 50 euros for one car. In order to encourage residents of both countries to travel on the new bridge, a discount system has been in place since 2006, thanks to which one can save ¾ of the costs. It is valid for drivers and passengers who travel frequently from Denmark to Sweden and vice versa.
Many Danes buy housing in Malmö, which is much cheaper than apartments in the capital, and every day they cross the bridge on their way to work in Copenhagen.
However, even at this rate, the cost of construction will not pay off until 2035. The total cost was DKK 30 billion.
Oresund Bridge as a tourist attraction
Øresund Bridge for Danes and Swedes is nothing more than convenient way movement between the two countries. But for tourists who first came to these parts, there is something to see and something to be surprised at.
When you fly up to international airport in Copenhagen, a unique picture opens up to your eyes: a huge bridge with cars and trains instantly falls under the water and disappears from sight. If you do not know anything about the underwater tunnel, you can be seriously scared, taking what is happening for a disaster.
In addition, upon closer examination, the design is simply striking in its scale and size. Sitting in a train or in a car cabin, it seems that the bridge will never end. Wherein seascapes breathtaking, and the journey through the tunnel becomes a real adventure. Any navigator shows that you are moving along the bottom of the Baltic Sea!
Oresund bridge. Video about the attraction
Øresund Bridge, which was planned as a means of rapid travel from Sweden to Denmark, has become a grandiose engineering and architectural masterpiece. It not only allowed residents of two friendly states to cross the borders in the shortest possible time, but also attracted curious tourists from all over the world. Thus, all travelers got a unique opportunity to visit two countries at once, spending a minimum amount of time on the move.
