De Hef' Rail Bridge - Rotterdam, Netherlands.

The Rotterdam Rail Bridge known as De Hef’ (‘hef’ means lever) is a steel railroad bridge that connects the Noordereiland (Northern Island) in the Maas river with the Southern part of Rotterdam.. The bridge was built in 1877 as a swing bridge to connect railroad traffic in the North of the Netherlands with the South of the Netherlands. 

In 1918 a German steamship ran into the swing bridge and the swing bridge was destroyed. It was decided that a lift bridge should replace the swing bridge and in 1927 the current lift bridge was completed. It was the first one if its kind in Western Europe. 

In 1993 a 2800 meter railroad tunnel was opened to replace De Hef and other railroad bridges. Today De Hef is not used anymore, although you can still see the railroad tracks at the bridge. The bridge is always open today and is an official monument.

The bridge on the right  is a vintage view of the original De Hef’ Rail Bridge built in 1877.