Modern & artDobruja & the Black Sea

Anghel Saligny Bridge: the 1895 steel giant over the Danube

The Anghel Saligny Bridge, originally the King Carol I Bridge, is a complex of two steel railway truss bridges across the Danube and the Borcea branch, at Cernavodă in Dobruja, Romania. Designed by engineer Anghel Saligny and opened in 1895, it linked Bucharest with the Black Sea port of Constanța and is still a landmark of early Romanian engineering.

When it opened in 1895 this railway bridge over the Danube was the longest in Europe. A persistent legend says its steel came from Eiffel’s workshop, but French specialists have shown it is false.

WhereCernavodă, Constanța County, on the Danube between Muntenia and Dobruja

TypeSteel railway truss bridge, 1890–1895, listed historic monument

Best forIndustrial heritage, engineering history and views of the Danube

Getting thereAt Cernavodă on the right bank, with Fetești on the left bank of the Borcea branch; the newer Cernavodă Bridge stands right beside it

The history of the Anghel Saligny Bridge

After Romania gained Northern Dobruja in 1878, the railway from Bucharest ran as far as Fetești and the line from Constanța as far as Cernavodă, but there was no bridge across the Danube. The nearest one upstream was the Franz Joseph Bridge at Novi Sad, 955 km away. A fixed crossing would link the Romanian railway network with the port of Constanța all year round, without being cut off when ice drifted on the river.

The government first held international competitions for the design. Gustave Eiffel’s firm was involved in the talks, but no agreement was reached, and the work was entrusted to the Romanian Railways. This gave rise to a legend that the steel superstructure, made in France, ended up in Senegal on the Faidherbe Bridge at Saint-Louis. Recent analyses by French specialists have shown the story to be false, though it is still repeated in tourist guides to Senegal.

The design and the building team were led by the Romanian engineer Anghel Saligny, and work began in 1890 in the presence of King Carol I. The complex had three parts: the bridge over the main Danube, a long viaduct over the marshy Balta Ialomiței island, and the bridge over the Borcea branch. With its access viaducts it measured 4,087.95 metres, and its central span of 190 metres was the largest in continental Europe. The bridge stands about 30 metres above the water so that tall-masted ships can pass under it.

Technically it was a milestone. It used mild cast steel instead of puddled iron and the Gerber cantilever truss system, an economical way to cover wide spans. The piers had to be founded on rock up to 31 metres below ground. At the Cernavodă end, two bronze soldiers by the French sculptor Léon Pilet commemorate the heroes of the War of Independence. The complex was inaugurated in September 1895; a train of locomotives crossed it as a test, while Saligny waited in a boat under the bridge.

The bridge did not escape the world wars. In October 1916 Romanian troops in retreat were ordered to destroy one of the two bridges; the Danube bridge was damaged and rebuilt by MAN of Germany, while the Borcea bridge was destroyed and replaced by a new structure on the surviving piers, finished in 1921. In 1941 Soviet bombing damaged the bridge, and repairs took about four months. In the 1960s the viaduct over Balta Ialomiței was replaced by an embankment, and in 1987 a new combined rail and road bridge opened beside it, ending the old bridge’s nearly century-long role as the main crossing.

Curiosities about the Anghel Saligny Bridge

The bridge was originally named after King Carol I; it was renamed after its engineer during the communist period.
The legend that its steel was reused in Senegal has been disproved by French specialists, yet it keeps appearing in guidebooks.
The two bronze dorobanți (infantry soldiers) at the Cernavodă end were cast in three pieces in Lyon and assembled on site. The king himself chose the model from five miniatures.
The northern soldier carries the signature of the sculptor Léon Pilet and the year 1895.
At the opening, after the last rivet, made of silver, was hammered in, Saligny stood in a boat under the bridge with the work-gang leaders to vouch for its strength.
The bridge was one of the first built with Siemens-Martin steel in its superstructure.

Tours near Anghel Saligny Bridge

Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:

GROUP Guided Day Trip to the Danube Delta, Tulcea - Letea

★ 4.8 (102 reviews) · 9 h

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Guided Birdwatching day trip to the Danube Delta - private program

★ 5 (28 reviews) · 6 h

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Danube Delta Tour from Tulcea to Mila 23, Letea Forest and Sulina

★ 4.7 (23 reviews) · 10 h

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Danube Delta PRIVATE boat trip to Letea Forest (guided tour)

★ 4.8 (16 reviews) · 9 h

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Visiting the Anghel Saligny Bridge: what to see

The best-known viewpoints are around Cernavodă, where the old steel truss and the newer bridge stand side by side.
The two bronze soldiers by Léon Pilet at the Cernavodă end are the main decorative feature of the bridge.
The neighbouring Cernavodă Bridge, a few dozen metres upstream, belongs to the same story and is also covered on this site.
Capidava is about 18 km away and Tropaeum Traiani about 27 km, so the bridge fits a day of Dobruja sights.
The bridge is a railway structure, so access and use of the old bridge can change; check the current situation locally before you go.

Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.

Map: where Anghel Saligny Bridge is

Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors

Photos of Anghel Saligny Bridge

Questions

Where is the Anghel Saligny Bridge?

It crosses the Danube at Cernavodă in Constanța County, joining Muntenia and Dobruja. Fetești lies on the opposite side, beyond the Borcea branch.

Who built the Anghel Saligny Bridge?

It was designed and built under the Romanian engineer Anghel Saligny between 1890 and 1895. Foreign firms such as Fives-Lille, Schneider-Creusot and Cockerill took part in the construction.

Was the Anghel Saligny Bridge the longest in Europe?

When completed in 1895 its total length with the viaducts, 4,087.95 metres, made it the longest bridge in Europe according to English and German sources. Its 190-metre central span was the largest in continental Europe.

Is it true the bridge is by Gustave Eiffel?

No. Eiffel’s firm took part in early talks, but the design went to the Romanian Railways under Saligny. The story that its steel went to Senegal is also false.

Is the Anghel Saligny Bridge still in use?

The main traffic moved to the new Cernavodă Bridge in 1987. The old bridge was taken out of regular service, though plans to use it again during works on the new one have been reported.

What can you see near the Anghel Saligny Bridge?

The Cernavodă Bridge stands right beside it. Capidava is about 18 km away, Tropaeum Traiani about 27 km and the Genoese Lighthouse about 55 km.