Comma bridge
Coordinates: 47 ° 27 ′ 52 " N , 9 ° 57 ′ 28" E
| Comma bridge | ||
|---|---|---|
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| use | trail | |
| Crossing of | Bolgenach | |
| place | Hittisau | |
| construction | covered wooden bridge | |
| overall length | 12.40 m | |
| height | 15 m | |
| completion | 1720 | |
| location | ||
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| Above sea level | 750 m above sea level A. | |
The Kommabrücke in Hittisau , built in 1720, is the oldest surviving covered wooden bridge in the Austrian state of Vorarlberg . At a height of approx. 15 meters, it crosses the Komma Gorge formed by the Bolgenach at a narrow point and is now used by a hiking trail.
history
According to documented mentions, there was a "Brug" as early as 1458 at the same point, a natural narrow point at the end of the Komma Gorge, about 700 meters as the crow flies from the center of Hittisau in today's district of Häleisen. In 1514 this bridge was first documented as the "Kummabrug". Today's Kommabrücke was built in 1720 and reinforced in 1785 for driving with carts . In the course of time, the bridge was often improperly renovated, partially renewed and improved, as evidenced by various inscriptions, engravings and incisions in the bridge wood before the general renovation in 2010. In documents from 1911, the importance of the Kommabrücke at that time as a connection between the communities of Hittisau and Bolgenach (until 1938 an independent community, today a district of Hittisau) and as a link to the high pastures of the communities in the Lecknertal is proven. Today, the Kommabrücke is only used by hikers and walkers on the hiking trail ("Hittisau Water Trail") along the Komma Gorge. The municipality of Hittisau has built a public swimming pool in the immediate vicinity of the Komma Gorge.
In 2010, the Kommabrücke was completely renovated on behalf of the municipality of Hittisau. For this purpose, the bridge was completely removed and expertly restored by a local Bregenzerwald carpenter . Only historical carpentry techniques were used in the restoration and neither nails nor screws were used. A total of 55,000 euros were invested and the wood from ten winter-felled silver firs was used. The bridge has been a listed building for several years .
architecture
The bridge has a span of 12.4 meters and a height of 5.5 meters and is around 15 meters above the mean water level of the Bolgenach. This makes it the most flood-proof crossing over the Bolgenach. The floorboards of the Kommabrücke are suspended from a trapezoidal truss construction. The individual elements of the bridge are through numerous different carpenter connections, such as the offset or the tenon connection . The attached gable roof and the side board protection were made of silver fir and serve to protect the entire bridge structure. Other types of wood such as spruce were also used in the structure.
literature
- Konrad Schwarz: Comma bridge Hittisau . In: Heimatpflegeverein Bregenzerwald (Ed.): Bregenzerwald-Heft . Volume 29 - 2010. Riefensberg 2010, p. 26-27 .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Erwin Moosbrugger: 300-year-old comma bridge renovated. In: Vorarlberg Online (VOL.at). October 31, 2010, accessed May 1, 2019 .
- ↑ "Kommabrücke" on travel companion Tannenland (audio file) (accessed on May 6, 2020)