Puddled iron emerges into Romanian territory bridge over river Olt, at Slatina

Abstract

For a long period of time, as it was mentioned when we tried to reckon the transport infrastructure works relating to the medieval period, we found that these works were entirely missing. The historical documents record in the attestation certificate of the town of Slatina, of January 20, 1368, that crossing the river Olt in the area was done either through its channel, when the water level would allow this or by floating bridges, which the local people would call “moving bridges”. Crossing the River at Slatina was the most appropriate location that ensured the connection between the historic Romanian provinces Oltenia and Muntenia (Valachia). It was where the economic and commercial interests would meet, both internal and external. The catholic bishop who made a trip to Slatina on August 26, 1641, recorded “… Slatina is located on the bank of Olt River which is crossed by skiff boat .” The construction of this bridge is considered, for that period, the most impressive project of the Romanian country. The archive documents tell us that the specialists of the time, on the basis of the studies performed, would locate the first permanent bridge over river Olt, a timber bridge, in line with village Prooroci, a village which was later integrated into today’s Milcov commune, of Olt county. The pilasters made of wrought natural stone, jointed at their upper ends by a cast iron beam, would mark the bridge entrance.