Bridge history
The Nelson Mandela Bridge was opened in 1992. The famous bridge was built partly because of the construction of Rokkeveen and because of the horticultural exhibition Floriade. This exhibition took place in Zoetermeer in 1992.
The predecessor of the Nelson Mandela Bridge is the old cable-stayed bridge from 1973. But this bridge was too narrow for all the visitors of the exhibition and was later demolished. Architect Johan Bak is the designer of the famous blue-yellow bridge of no less than 180 meters long. The bridge is not just blue and yellow. These are the colors of the coat of arms of Zoetermeer.
The Nelson Mandela Bridge is of course named after the South African freedom fighter. In 1990, his release after years of imprisonment was world news. Luigi van Leeuwen, mayor of Zoetermeer at the time, spoke of a 'special bridge, named after a special person'.