Victoria Falls Bridge Facts, Activities Zambia and Zimbabwe
According to reports, Cecil Rhodes offered the following suggestion: “build the Bridge across the Zambezi where the trains, as they pass, will catch the spray of the Falls.” This suggestion went on to become the Victoria Falls Bridge. Although this was intended to be a part of Rhodes’s abandoned Cape to Cairo railway plan, he tragically passed away before the bridge could be built, therefore he never even got the chance to see the falls.
The parabolic arch design of the Victoria Falls Bridge, formerly called the Zambezi Bridge, is attributed to George Hobson. The Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Company built it in England. It was then transported to Beira, a port in Mozambique, and then brought to Victoria Falls via rail. The Bridge, an engineering marvel of the Victorian era, was completed in a little fourteen months. On September 12, 1905, it was inaugurated by Professor George Darwin, son of Charles Darwin and President of the British Association (now the Royal Society). As a historic civil engineering landmark, the Victoria Falls Bridge is listed by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
One of the most popular things to do at the Victoria Falls Bridge nowadays is to take a historical guided tour that explains the bridge’s construction and even takes you on a walking trip beneath the main deck. On the Zambian side, you’ll find a little museum dedicated to the Bridge. It’s free to explore and offers refreshments in its cafe.
The Shearwater bungee jump, zip line, and bungee swing are all situated on the bridge. The leap is 111 meters (364 feet) in height. An incident occurred in late 2011 when a young woman from Australia managed to survive a fall of 24 meters (79 ft) into the fast-flowing, crocodile-infested Zambezi River below, causing safety concerns regarding the attraction. However, since safety precautions were increased, hundreds of thousands of leaps have been executed without a hitch. An element of danger is necessary for an adrenaline-pumping, death-defying experience.
Livingstone is also home to a railway museum that has numerous vintage steam trains and serves as an excellent resource for rail fans.
Victoria Falls Bridge Construction
Overlooking the Zambezi River, this steel bridge is 198 meters (650 feet) in length and has a main arch that extends 156.50 meters (513.5 feet) in height. It serves as a roadway, a rail line, and a pedestrian bridge. There are just three road connections between Zambia and Zimbabwe, and the Bridge is the sole rail link.
Rhodes demanded that the line from Livingstone to Kalomo be laid before the bridge was completed so that the construction of the railway from Cairo to the Cape could proceed at a rapid pace. The temporary electronic cableway that was used to move the materials constructing the bridge was employed to transfer a locomotive in sections across the canyon. The building engineers gave it the moniker “Blondin” and put it to use on the Zambian side even before the bridge was finished.
For almost half a century, travelers from South Africa and Europe could cross across to what is now Zambia, which was formerly known as Northern Rhodesia. Railroads mostly transported coal into Zambia and copper and lumber out of the country.
There were periods in the past when traffic limitations were imposed due to maintenance issues caused by the bridge’s age. Heavy trucks had to take a lengthy detour via the Kazungula Ferry or the Chirundu Bridge since trains could only cross at a walking pace and trucks couldn’t exceed 30 tons. Repairs in 2006 resulted in an increase to the weight restriction. Among the many modern-day activities held on the bridge is the Victoria Falls Marathon, bungee jumping, the opulent Rovos Rail train, and the Victoria Falls Steam Train, which offers sunset dinner experiences.