Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge

Curaçao's Queen Emma Bridge is a pontoon bridge that spans St. Anna Bay. It connects the Punda and Otrobanda quarters of Willemstad, the capital city. The bridge is hinged and opens on a regular basis to allow oceangoing vessels to pass through. A small shelter is located on the opposite end of the hinge, where an operator controls two diesel engines that power propellers. The propellers are perpendicular to the bridge's length, allowing it to swing parallel to the coast. It simply takes a few minutes to complete the process. Built in 1888, the bridge has been entirely restored four times: in 1939, 1961, 1983-1986, and 2005-2006. The lighting arches were installed in 1955 to commemorate Queen Juliana's and Prince Bernhard's royal visit.

The bridge, which is known as the "Swinging Old Lady," is supported by 16 wooden pontoon boats and two engines. This floating pedestrian bridge joins the Punda and Otrobanda neighborhoods and is named after Dutch Queen Emma. A siren sounds every half hour, signaling that the bridge is going to swing open, allowing boats to pass over. Queen Emma is one of the world's oldest wooden pontoon bridges.

The bridge has been an important link in Curaçao's capital throughout its history, and pedestrians who wanted to cross it had to pay 2 cents from 1901 and 1934, unless they were going barefoot, in which case the crossing was free. In 1974, all motorized traffic was stopped.

Location: Willemstad