Situated between Denmark and Sweden, the ‘disappearing’ Øresund Bridge remains a powerful symbol of solidarity in Europe, and has even inspired a hit TV crime drama
The Øresund Bridge has to be seen to be believed(Image: Getty Images)
Those who wish to sample the delights of Denmark and Sweden can visit both in just one day, thanks to a striking ‘disappearing bridge’.
With many of us eyeing up quirky travel destinations this summer, this intriguing construction is a bit of a must-see. Remember, however, it has a different name depending on what side of the crossing you’re on – Øresund in Danish and Öresund in Swedish.
What’s striking about this structure is that, while it begins as a bridge, it cleverly plunges into the ocean, transforming into a tube tunnel in such a way that makes it appear as though it simply vanishes beneath the surface. Completed in 2000, following a grand opening ceremony jointly hosted by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, Øresund connects the two great cities of Copenhagen and Malmö. This astonishing rail and road bridge is the second longest in Europe, bested only by the 18.1km Kerch Bridge, which connects Kerch, in Crimea, with Taman, in Russia
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While you certainly won’t be short of things to do on either side of the Øresund Strait – also known as ‘the Sound’ – this landmark really is an experience in itself. It’s regarded as an important symbol of unity and cooperation between the two nations, as well as with the wider European countries, as signified in powerful imagery used during the 58th Eurovision Song Contest, held in Malmö in 2013.
According to the ICE civil engineering group, the iconic link is comprised of an 8km-long bridge, a 4km underwater tube tunnel, which doubles as an artificial reef for marine life, plus 4km of an intriguing manmade island called Peberholm, left alone for the environment to flourish untouched. This acts as a unique junction for the bridge, which sees an average daily footfall of 70,000 people.
A collaborative project between Swedish company Svedab and Danish firm A/S, Øresundsforbindelsen is equipped with a motorway exit for authorised vehicles only, plus a helicopter pad for use in traffic emergencies. Crossing fees are dependent on your mode of transport. Motorcyclists can expect to pay £25.68, while passenger cars shell out £50.77. For those driving vans, motorhomes or passenger cars with a trailer, the fee is significantly pricier at a hefty £178.55.
All in all, the structure is approximately 16km in length, and cost £2.3 billion (£4.8 billion in today’s money) to build over a period of five years. Project designers opted to incorporate a tunnel over fears that a complete bridge could well interfere with radio signals from nearby Copenhagen Airport. This design also means a readily available shipping channel, whatever the weather.
More than a quarter of a century on since it was first unveiled, Øresund is regarded as a roaring success, helping to improve economic prospects for both Denmark and Sweden, and is credited with helping to build a trading region of some 4.2 million people, known on the world stage as the Øresund Region.
A recipient of the prestigious IABSE Outstanding Structure Award, Øresund is also immortalised in popular culture, being a key setting for the Swedish/Danish TV crime drama The Bridge. Seaon one, which first aired in 2011, kicked off with the discovery of a body on the bridge, located just between the two countries.
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