Most Apollo is one of three bridges that connect the center of Bratislava with the neighborhood of Petržalka on the other side of the Danube river. The other two bridges are Most SNP or the UFO Bridge, Starý Most or the Old Bridge. Most Apollo was until the dismantling and rebuilding of Starý Most the newest of the three bridges.
Except for these three bridges, there are also two highway bridges. A bit upstream is Most Lafranconi and a bit downstream is Prístavný most.
Most Apollo: A Bit of History
The construction of the bridge began in 2003 and it was opened to the public in September 2005. The name Apollo is derived from the old oil refinery that once was located on the left bank of the Danube river. In the area where the bridge now stands.
The corporation Apollo was established in 1895 and got its name from the Greek mythology. The plant did during its lifespan refine oil from Russian Caucasus, Polish Galicia, Romania as well as domestic oil from the Gbely oil fields. The plant was damaged during World War II and was eventually completely closed in 1963. Its predecessor is Slovnaft located a bit further down the river.
Most Apollo: How to Get There?
You will easily find Most Apollo by walking from the Old Town, downstream along the Danube.
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The way it was constructed is also interesting. The main construction was build on one river bank and then, for one day, they stopped the traffic on Danube and the bridge was moved/turned into its current position. See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc_AclSiOvE or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUErnEF6edk
That really is amazing and something we did not know. Also, fun to see how much has changed around Most Apollo since, not much there at the time of construction compared to today. 🙂
Thank you very much for sharing this with us. 🙂