Count of Smet de Naeyer
The Smet The Naeyer Bridge is 300 meters south of Ostend Station.
This bridge complex was built, under the influence of Leopold II, between 1903 and 1905 on plans by Alban Chambon (1847-1928), designer of the theater and the Kursaal of Ostend. They were the end of the extension of the port of Ostend. Also, it was a unlocking road for De Panne's coastal route to Knokke Overvoltage of the former drainage duct
They were officially commissioned in 1905 in the presence of Leopold II and Count Paul de Smet de Naeyer, then Minister of Finance and Public Works.
It is a large bridge complex consisting of two parts. The first part consists of a fixed bridge bridge over the railway tracks, a fixed section over a former drainage channel to Bruges and a bridge of the Slachthuiskaai. The second part is a rotary bridge on the seabed Demey (built in 1902-1903) spanning the float dock. Dig the Smet the Naeyer bridge - crossing the railway line
In general, the imposing long construction is better known as the "Tettenbrug". Before the First World War the high pillars of this bridge were decorated with large bronze angel statues with bare breasts handed by the sculptor Julien Dillens (1849-1904). The images, as well as the bronze bass reliefs on the bridge pylons of the hand of Karel De Kesel (1849-1922) and bronze lions of Jules Lagae who adorned the railway bridge were taken away by the occupier during World War I to melt them to weaponry.
The bridge was declared a protected monument on September 22, 1981. In 2002, the bridge was closed to traffic, as the ongoing traffic of the coastal road was a heavy burden in the city center. It now serves as parking. 51° 13′ 32″ NB, 2° 55′ 46″ OL
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