Railway viaduct near Krnsko

The railway viaduct near Krnsko (known as Stránovský viaduct) is located on the railway line between Benátky nad Jizerou and the Vinec municipality near Krnsko, six kilometres southwest of Mladá Boleslav.

The three-arched iron-concrete structure was built on the location of an old viaduct, which was destroyed by the Prussian army in 1866. The old viaduct was replaced by another one 20 years later, but this one proved inadequate for the purposes of the increasing railway traffic after the First World War and a new bridge was commissioned. Engineer Hlava’s and doctor Kratochvíl’s company won the competition, while the design was created by Stanislav Bechyně. The viaduct was built in 120 days, between 7 April and 18 September 1924. It has been in service for almost one hundred years without significant repairs.

The viaduct is interesting from the architectural point of view as well. It is 152 metres long, 27 metres high and 5 metres wide. It rests on three arches measuring 12 metres in height and 38 metres in length. There is space between the arches and the bridge deck, filled with eleven arcades that create the impression of airiness and emphasise the structure’s massiveness. The bridge was declared a cultural monument in 1958.