The Queen Emma Bridge: the bridge that swings aside

The Queen Emma Bridge connects Punda and Otrobanda, the two halves of Willemstad, across St Anna Bay. It floats on pontoons and is hinged at one end, so when a ship needs to enter the harbour the whole bridge swings aside against the bank.

What happens when it opens

A signal sounds, the barriers close and the bridge swings away. If you are standing on it at that moment you simply ride along, which is allowed, and is why people stay on when the bell goes. A free ferry runs alongside for as long as the bridge is open, so you always get where you were going.

How often it opens depends on shipping. On a day with cruise ships it can be several times an hour; on a quiet day, barely at all.

Why it is there

The bridge has been in place since 1888. The story that comes with it: a toll was originally charged, and anyone not wearing shoes crossed free. This led well-off residents to take their shoes off for the crossing while poorer people borrowed shoes so as not to look poor. The toll went long ago.

The view

From the middle of the bridge you look out at the Handelskade: the row of ochre, blue and green facades that appears on every photograph of Curaçao. It is the best vantage point you can reach on foot, and it is at its best in the morning, with the sun full on it.