This very interesting moving bridge can be found in the Old Town of
Klaipeda. An information sign in two languages (Latvian and English) has
some information:
The Chain Bridge. A part of Klaipeda castle port. The channel between the
defensive ditch around the castle was excavated in 1772. In 1885 the wooden
movable bridge was replaced with a metal turning bridge. This is the oldest
bridge of this type in the Baltic States.
The sign also shows a QR-Code for
www.krastogidas.lt/en/objects/449-swing-chain-bridge. Interestingly, this
website says, that the bridge was built in 1855:
"The manual swing bridge over the castle channel on Žveju Street is a
unique object of technical heritage. The bridge was built in 1855 of riveted
iron, decorated with chains, thus referred to as the Chain Bridge
(Kettenbrücke) until the World War II. The mechanism of the bridge is
manual. Two people can turn the bridge to open the channel to the former
moat (defensive ditch) for boats.
The citizens found the necessity for a bridge only in the second half
of the 18th century, when Klaipeda castle lost its strategic importance. The
city’s merchants started using the moat for keeping logs, which required a
separate channel, connecting the moat and Dange River. The channel was
excavated and the first wooden bridge was built in the turn of the 18th and
19th centuries. The bridge had a narrow 2.4 m opening for small ships. In
1839 it was replaced with a portal bridge and after that – the swing bridge
with a 1.2 m opening for ships that we can see today.
Before the war the bridge turning used to attract crowds of people.
The Chain Bridge was used after the war as well. In 2009–2010 it was
restored and operates to this day."
There's also a
Wikipedia website, that claims that the bridge was built in 1855.
Next to the bridge is a big sign with the Bridge Opening Schedule.
According to that the bridge will be open for the first 15 minutes of every
hour for boats from 08:00 a.m. to 08:00 p.m. and the rest of the hour for
pedestrians. From May, 1st to September, 30th from 08:00 p.m. to 08:00 a.m.,
the bridge will be rotated for vessels according to the given schedule only
when needed. From October, 1st to April, 30th the bridge will be opened 24
hours a day for vessels according to the timetable provided, only on demand.