“First you must have the images, then come the words.” ― Robert James Waller, The Bridges of Madison County (Photo: Anja Heie/ Wikimedia Commons)

The over 100 years old covered Hammer wooden bridge in Høylandet in North Trøndelag County is one of few with roof and walls in Norway, and the longest of its kind in Europe. Now, it may fall down due to lack of maintenance.

Hammer bridge was built in 1927 and is about 30 meters long (99 feet). Today the bridge is part of a private road, but was originally designed and built by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA).

It was constructed with roof and walls because it would last longer and because the wooden construction should not rot.

The first Hammer bridge was built as early as 1891, rebuilt and restored by NPRA in the 1990s. It is proposed protected in the National conservation plan for roads, bridges and road-related cultural heritages.

Inspired by the U.S.

This type of bridges were much more common in England and the United States than in Norway.

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Hammer bridge, North Trøndelag County. (Photo: Mari Valen Høihjelle)

The Hammer Bridge has been used as a gathering place for people in the village, as well as for everything from weddings to cinema. It is also used as fishing spot, through a hole in the bottom of the wall.

But, the bridge is in very poor condition, and now it may fall down. Høylandet Municipality has therefore decided that it should be saved for posterity.

– People come here to see it. It is part of the identity and history of Høylandet that is important to preserve, says Mayor Hege Nordheim-Viken to Norwegian Broadcasting Cooperation.

Hopefully the restoration work starts so quickly that the bridge does not fall down into the famous Søråa salmon river.

Text by: Thor Lanesskog, ThorNews

Categories: Culture, Design, History