BRV MEDNO – VIKRČE

(SI) Stare lesene brvi ni več, a spomin nanjo bo z nami še lep čas.

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(ENG) The old wooden suspension bridge is gone, but we shall remember it for a while…

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Bližnjica do točk poti in vpisov v dnevnik / Link to waypoints and logs >>>

(SI) BRV - LESENI VISEČI MOST ČEZ SAVO V MEDNEM, 1934-2023

Slika 1: Fotografije brvi, ki so jih k svojim vpisom v spletni dnevnik zaklada »Brv« pripeli najditelji: storz65, Zmajcek, varkentje.

POBUDA ZA POSTAVITEV BRVI

Leta 1925 so v Mednem v uporabo predali železniško postajališče, ki je pomenilo najbližjo povezavo javnega prometa s potmi na Šmarno goro.

Konec leta 1926 so člani Slovenskega planinskega društva (SPD) vodstvu društva dali pobudo za zgraditev novih poti na šmarnogorsko Grmado. Poti bi imele izhodišče v bližini bivše gostilne Kovač v Vikrčah in pod Turncem. Najbližji in zato tudi glavni dostop do novih poti bi bil iz Mednega – z nove postaje, s čolnom (ki ga je vodil bližnji mlinar) preko Save in naravnost peš skozi Vikrče.

Hkrati s predlogom za nove poti, so dali pobudo za gradnjo brvi za pešce, »… ki ne bi služila samo ljubljanskim izletnikom, temveč v še večji meri prebivalcem…«¹ je v Planinskem vestniku zapisal Josip Wester, ki je bil pri pobudah najbolj vnet in potem izjemno prizadeven pri pripravah na uresničitev predlogov. Po njem se imenuje steza iz Vikrč po strmem pobočju in potem po grebenu Grmade do njenega vrha.

»Čez Savo pri Mednem sodi brv za pešce, ki ne bi služila samo ljubljanskim izletnikom, temveč v še večji meri prebivalcem Vikrč, Zavrha in Pirnič, ki bi na ta način pridobili najzložnejšo zvezo z Mednim in s tem z Ljubljano. Akcijo za postavitev take brvi, najbolje viseče žičnate brvi z eno ali dvema oporama v savski strugi, bi brez dvoma finančno podprli vsi interesentje: občina šmartinska in šentviška, premožnejši posestniki ter končno mestna občina ljubljanska, z njo vred pa razni zavodi, katerim je prospeh turističnega prometa v Ljubljani pri srcu in v njih prid.«¹ Josip Wester, Planinski vestnik 01-1927

PRIPRAVE NA GRADNJO

Osrednji odbor SPD se je zavzel za predlagane ideje. Podprl je markiranje in nadelavo poti na Grmado te z denarno pomočjo dr. Pogačnika uredil in zavaroval plezalno pot (imenovano Pogačnikova pot). Načrt za gradnjo brvi pa je moral zaradi denarnih težav opustiti. Zato je bilo leta 1934 ustanovljeno Prometno društvo Medno-Tacen, čigar glavni namen je bilo pospeševanje turističnega prometa v okolišu Šmarne gore. Prvi cilj pa je bil gradnja brvi.

Izrazi kot je turističen, turistovski so nekdaj pomenili bolj izletništvo, pohodništvo, celo planinstvo. Izraz turist in njegove izpeljanke pravzaprav izvirajo iz poimenovanja ljudi, ki se odpravljajo na gorsko ali celo plezalno turo.

Slika 2: Potrdilo o vplačilu prostovoljnega prispevka za gradnjo visečega mostu; foto: bolha.com.

Prometno društvo je denar priskrbelo s pomočjo okoliških občin, okrajnega cestnega odbora, državnih inštitucij in tudi s prostovoljnimi prispevki članov SPD in drugih posameznikov. Na sliki 2 je potrdilo o vplačilu denarnega prispevka, ki ga je društvu daroval posestnik iz Spodnjih Pirnič. Poleg zahvale je dobil člansko izkaznico SPD s plačano članarino za eno leto in eno leto brezplačnega prehoda preko brvi.

1934 - URESNIČITEV NAČRTOV

Prometno društvo je svoj prvi in daleč najbolj ambiciozni načrt, gradnjo brvi, uspešno uresničilo. Načrt za drzno zasnovano stavbo² je izdelal inženir Stanko Dimnik (inženir, ki je izdelal načrt gradbenih konstrukcij - statiko za ljubljanski nebotičnik in je nadziral njegovo gradnjo). Dva vitka, v armiranem betonu zgrajena nosilca, visoka po 11 in 14 metrov, preko katerih je bilo napetih šest jeklenih kablov, debelih 32 mm, sta nosila leseno mostišče predalastega sistema. Brv je bila med obema opornikoma dolga 80 metrov, brez opore v vodi, ter okrog 3,5 m dvignjena nad normalnim vodostajem Save. Na levem, nižjem bregu je imela podaljšek, s katerim je celotna dolžina merila 92 metrov. Zgradba je s svojo preprosto, a stabilno izvedbo vzbujala tako radovednost uporabnikov kot pozornost strokovnjakov. Hodnik je imel 120 cm širine, ob straneh je bil zavarovan z ograjo, ki je omogočala varno prečkanje pešcem in kolesarjem.

V naših krajih ni bilo prave tradicije pokritih mostov, zato je bilo nekoliko neobičajno, da so se odločili brv pokriti. Streha je ponujala udobje uporabnikom mostu, njena glavna naloga pa je bila zaščita lesene konstrukcije in tako podaljševanje življenjske dobe brvi. Kot oblikovni element in dodatna zaščita pred močenjem konstrukcije s strani, so na zunanji strani ograje dodali poševno leseno strešico po celotni dolžini brvi.

Brv so slovesno otvorili in predali v uporabo 14. oktobra 1934. Do vojne v letu 1941 so za prehod brvi pobirali mostnino. Mitnica je bila v majhni hišici tik pred južnim vhodom na brv.

Slika 3: Brv med gradnjo. Menda je šele nekaj časa po otvoritvi dobila streho in svojo končno podobo. Ali kdo ve kaj več o tem?

VZDRŽEVANJE, VANDALIZEM IN OBNOVA BRVI

Brv je bila temeljito obnovljena leta 1980. Spomladi leta 2002 je bila poškodovana v viharju, ki je v Mednu odkril več streh, ruval staro sadno drevje, podrl zadnji leseni kozolec iz nekdanje vrste sedmih kozolcev in podrl veliko drevja v gozdu. Poleti 2009 je bila brv ponovno za krajši čas zaprta, saj so nepridipravi nanj porinili goreči plastični zabojnik za smeti. Kljub večji škodi na srečo ni bil poškodovan noben pomemben del lesene konstrukcije.

Zadnjo temeljito obnovo brvi sta lastnici – občini Medvode in Mestna občina Ljubljana – izvedli v letu 2022. Obnova je obsegala menjavo dotrajane kritine, vključno z leseno podkonstrukcijo, menjavo posameznih delov konstrukcije brvi ter pohodnih plohov. Na betonskih stebrih so izvedli sanacijo in ojačitev korodirane armature in betona, zaščitili so tudi jeklena vešala. Za obnovo sta občini skupaj prispevali nekaj čez 170.000 €.

Slika 4: Brv po obnovi, maja 2022; posnetek zaslona – prispevek o obnovi brvi.

2023 - SLOVO

Zvečer 3. avgusta 2023 so Slovenijo zajele izjemno izdatne padavine. V približno 12 urah je na nekaterih območjih padlo tudi več kot 200 mm dežja. Med najbolj izdatno namočenimi so bili deli Gorenjske, med drugim tudi porečje reke Sore in zgornjega toka Save. Rezultat je bil dvig gladine vodotokov, kakršen še ni bil zabeležen. Poplave so prizadele številne kraje po Sloveniji, tudi Medvode, na sotočju rek Save in Sore, le nekaj kilometrov po toku Save navzgor. K skupnemu pretoku od sotočja navzdol je reka Sora, v običajnih razmerah sicer reka s skromnim pretokom, prispevala kar polovico od skupnih 2000 m3 pretoka v sekundi, kolikor ga je namerila merilna postaja neposredno ob brvi. Vodna gladina reke Save v Mednem je svoj zadnji, hiter dvig doživela v petek 4. avgusta, med enajsto in dvanajsto uro dopoldne.

Brvi, ki smo jo številni okoličani tako rekoč vzljubili in jo pogosto uporabljali, tudi njeni dobri trije metri in pol višine nad običajno gladino reke niso pomagali. Voda je segla nad spodnji rob lesene konstrukcije brvi in iz trenutka v trenutek povečevala pritisk – najprej neposredno na spodnji del konstrukcije in potem še dodatno, ko se je višje začela kot na jezu nabirati na leseni bočni strehi. Pred očmi zgroženih opazovalcev sta pod silovitim bočnim pritiskom prva popustila betonska stebra – najbrž najprej na eni in potem na drugi strani – kar je pomenilo, da so nosilne jeklenice in z njo celotna brv zgrmele v vodo. To je pomenilo popolno uničenje in konec brvi.

Slika 5: Brv tik pred porušitvijo / ostanki betonskih stebrov / po odstranitvi ruševin; vir: posnetek na spletu / foto kompaski.

Leseno konstrukcijo je prelomilo na več velikih kosov in mogočna Sava jih je odnesla kot vžigalice. Če bi bilo možno tedaj katerega od teh delov brvi potegniti na breg, bi lahko prestavljal zanimiv spomenik uničenemu prehodu preko reke. Tudi ti veliki deli niso prišli daleč. V Tacnu je tedaj voda že skorajda segala do spodnjega roba betonskih nosilcev cestnega mostu. Veliki kosi brvi, ki jih je voda nosila z visoko hitrostjo, so silovito treščili v betonsko konstrukcijo mostu in voda jih je pod njimi zmlela v drobne kose.

ZA KONEC

Za konec še osebni razmislek o novinarskem pisanju in obljubah…

V nekaterih člankih  iz začetka leta 2024, o predvideni gradnji novega mostu, so novinarji malomarno zapisali, da je bila brv ob porušitvi dotrajana, iz tona pisanja bi se dalo celo razbrati, da ni tako zelo hudo, če jo je odnesla voda – bomo vsaj dobili nov most… Malomarnost novinarjev je bila v tem, da se očitno niso pozanimali o zgodovini brvi in niso ničesar prebrali niti o zadnji temeljiti obnovi, ki je potekala le dobro leto pred uničenjem.

Brv je bila v dobrem stanju, primerna za varno uporabo veliko let v prihodnost. Koliko časa bomo zdaj čakali na novi most, bomo pa še videli. Da bi bil zgrajen v letu 2024, kot so napovedovali največji optimisti iz občine Medvode, pa ne verjamem…

VIRI:

1 – Planinski vestnik, št. 1, Ljubljana, 1927

2 – Planinski vestnik, št. 11, Ljubljana, 1934

In različni viri zbrani s strani lastnika zaklada.

(ENG) WOODEN SUSPENSION FOOTBRIDGE OVER THE SAVA RIVER IN MEDNO, 1934 - 2023

Figure 1: Photos of “Brv” uploaded as part of the online log by the finders: storz65, Zmajcek, varkentje.

INITIATIVE FOR THE NEW FOOTBRIDGE

In 1925, a railway station was built in Medno, and became the closest public transport access point for hikes to Šmarna gora.

At the end of 1926, the members of the Slovenian Mountaineering Association (SPD) launched an initiative to build new trails to Grmada – the second peak of Šmarna gora. The trails would have a starting point near the former Kovač Inn in Vikrče and under the Turnc. The closest and therefore also the main access to the new routes would be from Medno - from the new railway station, by boat (rowed by a neighbouring miller) across the Sava and directly through Vikrče.

The initiative included the proposal for the construction of a footbridge, "... which would not only serve Ljubljana's excursionists but to an even greater extent the residents..."1 Mr. Wester wrote in the Planinski Vestnik, journal of SPD. Josip Wester, after whom the path on the Grmada ridge is named, was the most active of the initiators during the preparations and the implementation of the proposals.

"There should be a footbridge across the Sava near Medno, which would serve not only Ljubljana's excursionists, but to an even greater extent the residents of Vikrče, Zavrh, and Pirniče, who would in this way gain the easiest connection with Medno and thus with Ljubljana. The campaign for the construction of such a footbridge, the best would probably be a hanging wire footbridge, with one or two supports in the Sava river bed, would without a doubt be financially supported by all interested parties: the municipalities of Šmartno and Šentvid, wealthier landowners and finally the city municipality of Ljubljana, as well as various institutions that benefit of tourist traffic in Ljubljana."¹ Josip Wester, Planinski vestnik 01-1927

PREPARATION FOR CONSTRUCTION

The Central Committee of the SPD supported the proposed ideas. It supported the marking and construction of the trails to Grmada and, with financial support of dr. Pogačnik built and secured the climbing route (called Pogačnik's Trail). However, the plan to build a footbridge had to be abandoned due to financial problems. That is why the Medno-Tacen Traffic Club was founded in 1934, whose main purpose was to promote tourist traffic in the area of Šmarna Gora. The first goal was the construction of a footbridge.

The meaning of the term touristic used to be closer to 'excursion', 'hiking', and even 'mountaineering'. The term tourist and its derivatives originate from the description of people who venture to a mountain tour or even a climbing tour.

Figure 2: Part of the certificate of a voluntary contribution for the construction of a suspension bridge; photo: bolha.com.

The Medno-Tacen Traffic Club provided the money with the help of the surrounding municipalities, the district road committee, state institutions, and with voluntary contributions from SPD members and other individuals. Picture 2 shows a certificate to the payment of a monetary contribution, which was donated to the Club by a landowner from Spodnje Pirniče. In addition to this certificate, he received an SPD membership card with a paid membership fee for one year and one year of free footbridge passage.

1934 - IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLANS

The Medno-Tacen Traffic Club has successfully implemented its first and by far most ambitious plan, the construction of a footbridge. The plan for the boldly designed construction² was drawn up by the engineer Stanko Dimnik (the engineer who drew up the structural design for the Ljubljana 'skyscraper' and supervised its construction). It consisted of two slender pylons built in reinforced concrete, 11 and 14 meters high, over which six 32 mm thick steel cables were stretched, and the wooden bridge construction, hung on the cables. The footbridge had 80 meters between the two pylons, without support in the water, and raised about 3.5 m above the normal water level of the Sava River. On the left, lower bank, the bridge had an extension, with which the entire bridge measured 92 meters in length. With its simple but stable design, the building aroused both the curiosity of users and the attention of experts. The corridor was 120 cm wide; it was protected by a fence on the sides and enabled safe crossing for pedestrians and cyclists.

There was no real tradition of covered bridges in our region, so it was somewhat unusual that they decided to cover the bridge. The roof offered comfort to the users of the bridge, but its main task was to protect the wooden structure and thus extend the life of the bridge. As a design element and additional protection against wetting of the structure from the side, a sloping wooden side roof was added on the outside of the fence along the entire length of the bridge.

The footbridge was ceremoniously opened and put into use on October 14, 1934. The toll was collected for crossing the footbridge until the war in 1941. The toll booth was in a small house just outside the southern entrance to the bridge.

Figure 3: Footbridge under construction. Apparently, the bridge got its roof and its final appearance only sometime after its opening. Does anyone know more about this?

BRIDGE MAINTENANCE, VANDALISM, AND RESTORATION

The footbridge was thoroughly restored in 1980. In the spring of 2002, it was damaged in a storm that uncovered several roofs in Medno, uprooted old fruit trees, knocked down the last wooden haystack from the former row of seven haystacks, and felled many trees in the forest. In the summer of 2009, the footbridge was closed again for a short time, because miscreants pushed a burning plastic garbage container onto it. Despite the extensive damage, luckily no significant part of the wooden structure was damaged.

The last thorough renovation of the footbridge was carried out by the owners - the municipality of Medvode and the City of Ljubljana - in 2022. The renovation included the replacement of the dilapidated roof, including the wooden substructure, the replacement of individual parts of the footbridge structure, and the replacement of the walking deck. Repairs and reinforcement of corroded reinforcement and concrete were carried out on the concrete columns, and steel hangers were also protected. Altogether, over €170,000 has been paid by the municipalities for the renovation.

Figure 4: Footbridge after the last renovation, May 2022; screenshot - video about footbridge restoration.

2023 - FAREWELL

On the evening of August 3, 2023, Slovenia experienced extremely heavy rainfall. Over 200 mm of rain fell in some areas in just about 12 hours. Parts of the Gorenjska region were among the most heavily inundated, including the Sora River basin and the upper Sava River. The result was a rise in water levels that had never been recorded before. Floods affected many places in Slovenia, including Medvode, at the confluence of the Sava and Sora rivers – just a few kilometres upstream from the footbridge. The Sora River, otherwise very small under normal conditions, contributed as much as half of the total flow of 2000 m3 per second to the total flow downstream from the confluence with Sava (the measuring station is right beside the footbridge location). The water level of the Sava River in Medno experienced its last fast rise on Friday, August 4, between eleven and noon. Even its 3 and a half meters of height above the normal water level was not enough for the footbridge, which many of us, living nearby loved and used often. The water reached over the lower edge of the wooden structure of the footbridge and exerted increasing pressure - first directly on the lower part of the structure and then, even more, when it began to accumulate higher -  the wooden side roof presenting an additional dam. Under the heavy lateral pressure, the concrete columns were the first to give way - probably first on one side of the river and then on the other - which meant that the footbridge was left without supporting steel cables. This was immediately followed by complete destruction and the end of the footbridge – right in front of the horrified observers.

Figure 5: Footbridge just before the collapse/remains of concrete columns / after the removal of the rubble; source: clip online / photo kompaski.

The wooden structure was broken into several large pieces, and the swollen Sava carried them away like matches. If it were then possible to pull one of these parts of the footbridge to the bank, it might represent an interesting monument to the destroyed river crossing. But even these large parts did not get very far. In Tacen, the water almost reached the lower edge of the concrete beams of the road bridge. Large pieces of footbridge carried by the water at high speed crashed violently into the concrete structure of the bridge and the water ground them into small pieces under the bridge.

SOURCES:

1 – Planinski vestnik, no. 1, Ljubljana, 1927

2 – Planinski vestnik, no. 11, Ljubljana, 1934

And various resources collected by the owner of the geocache.

> Točke poti in dnevniki / Waypoints and logs.