One of the most popular bridges across the Idrijca River is the bridge known as “Pri ta debeli skali” (“At the Big Rock”). Although the exact year of construction of the original bridge is unknown, many locals from Idrija — as well as members of the Kaskader team — remember it from their childhood. That made it an even greater pleasure for us to take on the maintenance works that had become necessary due to corrosion and the bridge’s deteriorated condition.

History of the suspension bridge

The original “Pri ta debeli skali” bridge was of Italian manufacture. Judging by old photographs (from the personal archive of Matej Kobal), it was anchored approximately 2 to 3 meters higher than it is today. Access from the right bank was via stone steps, while the left bank featured a wooden stair structure. The terrain throughout the Mejca park area was around 3 meters lower than it is today.

The original suspension bridge

On November 1st, 1982, Idrija was struck by a catastrophic flood that destroyed the bridge. At that time, a professionally planned regulation of the Idrijca River and the Nikova stream was carried out. The conceptual structural design for the bridge reconstruction was created by Mr. Magajne from Solkan, a Slovenian pioneer in prestressed concrete beam construction, first used in the Ravbarkomanda viaduct on the Vrhnika–Postojna motorway. The bridge installation was carried out by SGG Tolmin, while workers from Gostol manufactured the metal components and assisted with assembly. Among them was also one of today’s Kaskader team members, who participated again in the bridge restoration forty years later.

Replacement of old bridge elements with new ones

Due to corrosion and wear, the suspension bridge “Pri ta debeli skali” once again required restoration, which was undertaken by the Kaskader team. The maintenance works, completed in less than two months by our experienced rope access crew, included the replacement of steel cables, the support structure, and the walking surface.

And why do we call it a suspension bridge? Because the entire walking surface — typically wooden on suspension bridges — hangs from steel cables using vertical suspenders, which connect the cables to the deck structure.