Zaleski Bridge

Zaleski Bridge is a small culvert carrying the waters of the Czarna Woda, a former branch of the Oder, under Jan and Jędrzej Śniadecki Street in Wrocław, on the border between the Zalesie and Zacisze estates. Despite its name, it is not a bridge in the strict sense of the word, but a culvert forming part of the road structure.

Where the name comes from

The structure was built as part of a major hydro-engineering project carried out in Wrocław between 1912 and 1917, which included the construction of a new waterway through the city and a flood protection system known as the Second Regulation of the Oder. During the project the Flood Canal and the Navigation Canal were built, and the former arm of the Oder was largely done away with, leaving only small fragments, including the present-day Czarna Woda. The German name of the culvert, Schwarzwasserbrücke, referred precisely to this watercourse. Its current name, used since 1948, was given in honour of the neighbouring Zalesie estate.

Construction

The culvert was built from prefabricated sections of reinforced concrete pipe with a diameter of 1000 mm and a length of 32 m. Its end walls were built as a brick retaining wall. The watercourse's bed was regulated at the same time as a new street was laid out in the 1920s, linking the former Dahnstrasse, today's Stanisław Moniuszko Street, and a park layout was formed along its course.

Practical information

• Address: Jan and Jędrzej Śniadecki Street, on the border between the Zacisze and Zalesie estates, Wrocław
• Getting there: on foot or by bike along the Czarna Woda, not far from Szczytnicki Park and the Japanese Garden
• What to expect: a small technical structure, of interest mainly to enthusiasts of Wrocław's water infrastructure history rather than as a destination in its own right