Museosilta (Museibron)

English translation (from the Finnish)

The text above is the record as published by the Finnish Heritage Agency (Museovirasto), in Finnish. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Finnish Heritage Agency (Museovirasto); it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

Description

The museum bridges selected by Tiehallinto reflect the stages of development of our country's road network and bridge-building skills from the 18th century to the present day. In addition to the bridges mentioned on the Museosillat theme site, almost twenty museum bridges are included in larger areas or museum road sites.

The landscape of the rapids flowing through the church village of ENONKOSKI spreads out on both sides of the old single-span vaulted bridge built of natural stone and the single-span concrete bridge which now carries traffic. Along the rapids are remains of a sawmill that operated from the 18th century to the early 20th century, as well as of trading activity.

The Lapijoki Bridge (1883) in the village of Lapijoki in EURAJOKI is a three-span bridge laid of natural stone and consolidated with wedge stones. The vault openings are low, and the railing is an iron pipe mounted on stone supports.

In HAMINA, the Mullinkoski Bridge (1949) is a reinforced concrete girder bridge with a total length of 25.5 m. It is a technical pioneer: the first bridge in Finland and the Nordic countries to be prestressed by the Mangel method.

On the road section from Huhtilampi to Lastujärvi in JOENSUU stands the Haarajoki Bridge (1926), an early reinforced concrete cantilever girder bridge. The water piers of the 31-metre-long bridge are built of natural stone. The bridge type is rare, and it is the second oldest bridge in Tiehallinto's North Karelia district.

In JOUTSA, the Viheri Bridge (1887) is a two-span timber bridge built on trestles and is 29.5 metres long.

In KIHNIÖ, the 14-metre-long Markkula timber bridge (1959) in Koskenkylä was built using traditional beam and hanging trestle techniques, and its shore walls are log cribs filled with stone. The bridge type is now rare.

In KUHMO, the single-span concrete bridge (1935) at Tervasalmi crosses the strait between Ontojärvi and the small Nurmesjärvi on the old road leading to Kuhmo.

The Ponkila Bridge (1931), leading from the built-up area of the church village of MUHOS to Kirkkosaari, is a steel-structured, timber-decked suspension bridge 71 metres long.

In MUSTASAARI, the Tuovila Bridge (1781) crosses the Laihianjoki. It is a two-span vaulted bridge built of natural stone. It is the second oldest surviving stone bridge.

In MÄNTYHARJU, the bridge (1937) crossing the Virransalmi waterway was built on the site of an old ferry crossing. It is a steel truss type that has become rare. It is founded on earth supports and timber piles.

The main road from the church in NURMIJÄRVI to Palojoki and Tuusula crosses the Myllykoski rapids of the Palojoki river in Metsäkylä. Myllykoski is about 300 m long and has steep banks. On the banks of the rapids are the ruins of a power station, mills and dams. The delicately constructed Myllysilta (1966) above the rapids is a timber trestle bridge. The bridge combines old carpentry skill with modern engineering.

In NÄRPIÖ, the so-called Nybro (1842) on the road crossing the Adolf Fredrik postal road spans the river at Finby. On site is a three-span ashlar bridge built from local Böle granite to drawings by Lieutenant C.F. Favorin of the koskenperkaustoimikunta. Nybro is one of the most beautiful achievements of our early stone-bridge architecture.

In PIHTIPUTAA, the Heinäjoki Bridge (1924) is located on the Myllysuo local road in the church village of PIHTIPUTAA, in a scenically beautiful river landscape. The bridge is also known under the name Puutaa Bridge. It is a two-span vaulted bridge built of ashlar.

In PYHÄJOKI, the Pohjanmaa coast road crosses the Pyhäjoki river at Etelänkylä. The bridge (1837) is probably the oldest trestle bridge still in use. Founded on bedrock, it is 77.5 metres long and has four spans. The bridge cribs and ice breakers are built of large dressed stone blocks. On each side of each span are six double trestles. The deck structure is also timber. The timber parts of this rare trestle bridge, some of which are original timber, are painted with red ochre and tarred.

In RAAHE, the Pattijoki Bridge (1896-97) is located in the built-up centre of the municipality and is used as a route for light traffic. The ten-metre-long single-span stone vault bridge on the Ostrobothnia coast road, and its earth supports, are built of natural stone.

In RISTIJÄRVI, the single-span Möykkysenjoki Bridge (1926), now located at the rest area on the RISTIJÄRVI-Hyrynsalmi road section, is 14 metres long and built of ashlar.

In SONKAJÄRVI, the Männikkö Bridge (1925-26) is a three-span reinforced concrete cantilever girder bridge.

In TAIVASSALO, the Muntti Bridge (1850) is located on an old section of road beside the present main road. The bridge is a single-span vaulted bridge built of natural stone. The shore walls consist of small natural stones. The deck has a gravel surface and is bordered by double tubular railings supported on stone pillars.

In TAMPERE, the Aunes Bridge (1899) is one of the highest single-vault granite bridges in the Nordic countries. The bridge, located in the village of Kämmenniemi, is built of Teisko granite. The 19-metre arch of this single-span bridge is an excellent example of the professional skill of stonemasons.

History

Early bridle paths and cart roads crossed wetlands and waterways by means of duckboards, stone causeways, rafts and boats, or by building timber bridges. Mastery of stone working and vaulting technology brought stone bridges to busy roads at the end of the 18th century. In the 19th century timber bridges were still the most common, but the number of stone bridges rose from 1200 to 4000 between the 1880s and the beginning of independence. The state's participation in construction costs contributed to this. With the Road Act of 1918, the practice was abandoned whereby construction was tied to land ownership and local labour. The steel and reinforced concrete bridges of industrial society were based on the development of mechanics, mathematics and technology. Bridge building was promoted by post-war reconstruction and increasing car use.

Museum bridges are grouped below by structure and date of construction. Museum bridges included in larger areas are shown in brackets (see the entries for the municipalities concerned).

STONE BRIDGES 1700s
(Espoo: Espoonkartano from the 1770s.)
Mustasaari: Toby stensbro 1781. In 1775 the Governor ordered the parishes of Mustasaari, Vöyri, Isokyrö, Ilmajoki, Vähäkyrö, Maalahti, Laihia, Lapväärtti and Lapua to build a stone bridge over the Tuovilanjoki. Despite the complaints of the peasants, a stone bridge was built at the site measured by land surveyor Nils Ekholm. The contractor was probably master mason D. Olander from Vaasa, assisted by T. Rijf from Pietarsaari.

STONE BRIDGES 1800s
Närpiö: Nybro 1842.
Taivassalo: Muntin silta 1850. The narrow Muntinsalmi strait separated Taivassalo church village from the mainland. The first written mention of a bridge connection is from 1793.
(Merikarvia: Lankoski 1887.)
Eurajoki: Lapijoen silta 1883. Construction was undertaken by crofter Isak Pienessuo of Panelia. 300 cartloads of stone were supplied by 70 farms from 11 villages.
Raahe: Pattijoen silta 1897. The Korsholma-Oulu bridle path was improved at the end of the 17th century into a road passing through Pattijoki, which as main road no. 8 ran through the Pattijoki church village until the 1960s. Before the stone-vaulted bridge, wooden bridges crossed the Pattijoki.
(Korsnäs: Harrström 1898.)
Tampere: Aunessilta 1899. The wooden bridge over the strait had decayed by 1894, and the municipal board decided to build a new bridge. Construction of the bridge designed by architect G. Schreck was supervised by building master K. Grip of the tie- ja vesiylihallitus.

STONE BRIDGES 1900s
(Hamina: Salmen silta 1902; Enonkoski 1904.)
Pihtipudas: Heinäjoen silta 1924. Work began in 1919, when farmers were allocated shares of stone haulage according to their manttaali. Over three winters, stones for the vaults and granite boulders were brought to the site, and embankments were built. The Tie- ja vesirakennusten ylihallitus had the bridge built by contractor Granit Oy.
Ristijärvi: Möykkösenjoen silta 1926. The bridge was built by TVH. Plans were drawn up by engineer Armas Olson. The Kainuu district of Tielaitos restored the bridge in 1982-1983.
(Enontekiö: Ahdaskurun silta).

WOODEN BRIDGES 1800s-1900s
Pyhäjoki: Pyhäjoen silta. In 1833 the parish assembly decided to build the Pyhäjoki bridge to designs by lieutenant colonel F. A. Hällström. The Emperor's decision came in 1834, and the inspection took place in 1837. The bridge was repaired in the 1970s.
(Halikko: Vanha silta 1866.)
Joutsa: Viherin silta. The municipal board decided on construction in 1887. Construction work was led by I. Hellgren. The timber superstructure, railings, current piers and abutments were repaired in 1944 and 1962. In 1971 a new bridge was built using the old timber technique.
Kihniö: Markkulan silta 1959.
Nurmijärvi: The Myllysilta bridge (1966) was designed by DI E. Kokkonen. Myllykoski is an important historical mill site in Nurmijärvi. In the 16th century there were two mills on the rapids. At the end of the 19th century there was also a sawmill and a pärehöylä. The power station built in 1920 was demolished in 1982.

STEEL BRIDGES 1800s-1900s
(Kouvola: Koria 1870; Isokyrö: Perttilä 1910.)
Muhos: Ponkilan silta 1931. In 1925 the Governor of Oulu Province ordered the construction of a bridge on the Pyhäsivu village road, designed by engineer L. Ilmoniemi.
Mäntyharju: In 1881 a wooden suspended-stringer-beam bridge was planned for the old ferry site at Virransalmi, and the next bridge followed in 1910. In 1936 construction began on a steel truss bridge designed by TVH engineer Hannelius. The steel parts manufactured in Germany were installed by German fitters.

REINFORCED CONCRETE BRIDGES 1900s
(Orimattila: Tönnö 1911; Ylivieska: Savisilta 1912; Hauho: Alvettula 1916; Kokemäki: Tulkkila 1918; Hattula: Mierola 1919; Alahärmä: Mattilan silta 1921; Rovaniemi: Saarenputaan silta 1925.)
Joensuu: Haarajoen silta 1926.
Sonkajärvi: Männikön silta 1926.
(Pyhtää: Savukoski 1928.)
Kuhmo: Tervasalmen silta 1935.
Hamina: Mullinkosken silta 1949.
(Anjalankoski: Keskikoski 1954.)