Switzerland - St-Ursanne Bridge

 

Stamp Issue : 1977-05-02 

St-Ursanne Bridge spanning River Doubs in the small town of St-Ursanne, Switzerland. The monastery, first documented about 850 and the Doubs bridge dating from 1728 are two top attractions in this town, famous as a beautiful bijou.
A first bridge must have stood around 1440. It can be assumed that it was also built of wood, as was one known from an earlier 16th century depiction of the town. Chroniclers reported that the winter in 1670 was so cold that even the wine in the cellars froze. At that time the wooden bridge was destroyed by ice flowing down the Doubs. The bridge subsequently built in 1728/29 by master builder Brunet to plans by Advocate Humbert, was adorned by the figure of Nepomuk, who appears to gaze up river to the site of the former bridge.