“Puente General Rafael Urdaneta” or “Bridge over Maracaibo Lake” as it is better known, name that it was given as a tribute to the Zulian hero who participated in the battle for independence, is located in the southern part of the Strait of Maracaibo, in Zulia, Venezuela. It is one of the most representative architectural monuments of the time and was described for some years as the longest bridge in the world.
Built in reinforced concrete, under the supervision of Italian engineer Riccardo Morandi, who represented the most important project in his career, it currently ranks 52nd of the largest bridges of this type. This construction, which symbolized modernity in this important oil state, was unveiled on August 24, 1962, with a viaduct 8,678 meters long and 20 meters wide.
It consists of 135 sections and two of them 235 meters. It 45 meters high, because it is a navigation channel for oil tankers that enter and leave the lake. The objective of this construction was to connect the two coasts of the lake with the rest of the country and thus become a very important road artery for that region, which withstands an average traffic of more than 2 million vehicles per day.
The land of the beloved sun, as the Zulian region is usually called, enjoys and exalts itself with one of the most important constructions in this country, which ultimately represents a sample of the progress and development of it, as well as a point of reference between the pass from dictatorship to democracy.
In 2002, it was accredited with a well-deserved recognition and was declared as a Cultural Asset by the Institute of Cultural Heritage, for the merits and credits in the construction of this beautiful colossus. As the locals mention, it is a bridge with a life of its own, which reminds you a time of long queues to take the ferries and popular pirogues that were used at that time to move from one extreme to the other.
Also, it is worth mentioning that on April 6, 1964, a tragedy occurred, with the Esso Maracaibo tanker, which was loaded with crude oil, which ran out of energy and collided sideways against two piles of this bridge, causing damage to the structure and the unfortunate loss of 7 people who moved in their vehicles and fell into a vacuum; its repair took, approximately, eight months.
However, if your destination is Maracaibo, the second most important city in Venezuela, you will enjoy the joy and rhythm of gaitas, as well as its Guajira heritage, which combines the traditional thing with the modern one in a wonderful way. Its streets illuminated by the shining sun, highlight its colorful colonial houses and invite you to enjoy a region where history, religion, infrastructure, gastronomy and marabina magic converge.
ALFA