·1888年建在南运河上的天津第一座开启式铁桥——金华桥

        天津的河多,水多,因此渡口也多。天津早年的渡口有私渡、官渡和义渡,另外还有专渡。私渡出现得最早,官渡是官家为便利驿使往来而设。据乾隆 《天津县志》记载,明万历十六年(1588),在天津设官渡8处,院门口是其中的一个渡口。船只用官银制造,每船水手一名,每月工食钱三钱。船只年深日久,到清朝初期便淹废无存,行人叫苦。
        清初,天津重要渡口共建浮桥6座。第一座是西沽浮桥,康熙五十四年(1715)造; 第二座是钞关浮桥,又称北大关浮桥、北浮桥; 第三座是盐关浮桥,又名孟公桥,俗称东浮桥,雍正八年(1730)由青州运使孟周衍建造。此外还有院门口浮桥、窑洼浮桥、老龙头浮桥。浮桥是用木船联缀而成,有船经过则开桥,船过以后则闭桥;引桥及搭板也是木结构,能适应每日潮差的变化。清代天津的浮桥中,北大关至三岔河口南运河上就占了3座,即钞关、院门口、窑洼浮桥。可见南运河当时之交通便利和繁华情景。
        浮桥为清代 “天津八景”之一,称作《浮梁驰渡》: “万国轮蹄尽此经,方舟铁锁壮金城。泽梁无禁行人歇,闲听关门鼓角声”。
        从清光绪十三年(1887)至20世纪30年代,天津先后新建、迁建和重修了6座铁桥,大多为开启桥。其中院门口首先建造了铁桥和开启铁桥金华桥。
        南运河院门口浮桥,是天津城通往总督衙门的必经之路。光绪十三年(1887),时任直隶总督的李鸿章,为了便于天津城到行署的来往,拟把大胡同南端原盐院门口的浮桥改为铁桥。因铁桥不能开启,影响行船,盐道反对,于是便把这座铁桥移建到子牙河上。该铁桥是天津第一座铁桥,按《清明上河图》中拱形建造,所以称为大红桥。
        光绪十四年(1888),在院门口建造了能开启的金华桥,俗称“老铁桥” 。这是天津第一座开启式铁桥。
        光绪三十一年(1905)金华桥进行重建,建设了新的开启式的金华桥。原来的“老铁桥”移建于金钟河上,改名金钟桥。1918年三岔河口裁弯取直时,金钟河废弃,金钟河上的金钟桥迁建于三条石东首刷纸庙南运河上,仍称金钟桥。
        1920年南运河裁弯取直,裁掉了南运河侯家后一段大湾,院门口的金华桥也在这段被裁掉之内。于是金华桥便从院门口,移建于北大关,仍称金华桥。
        1982年,河北大街拓宽时,把开启式的金华桥,改建为钢筋混凝土桥。河海之利,漕运之兴。桥的历史,就是城市发展的历史; 桥的变迁,见证了天津历史的变迁。
        Tianjin was abundant in rivers and ferries. The ferriesin Tianjin were classified as private,public,official andspecial. The history of private ferries was the longest.Official ferries were set mainly for posting. Accordingto the Tianjin County Annals of the Emperor Qianlong`sreign,there were eight official ferries in 1588. The ferryboats were made by using official money. Each boat wasequipped with one sailor with the salary of three qianof taels one month. The boats` maintenance was in poorcondition by early Qing Dynasty. Passengers complaineda lot.
        In the end of Qing Dynasty,there were six floatbridges above the key ferries in Tianjin. The first one wasXigu Float Bridge,made in 1715; the second,ChaoguanFloat Bridge; the third,Yanguang Float Bridge,or MengBridge,Dong Float Bridge,built by Meng Zhouyan,magistrate of Qingzhou. The others were YuanmenkouFloat Bridge,Yaowa Float Bridge and LaolongtouBridge. These bridges were joined by wooden bridges.When boats passed by,the bridges would open,otherwise closed. The other components such asintroductory parts and link parts were made by wood toadjust to tides. From Beidaguan to Sancha Bayou,therewere three float bridges: Chaoguan,Yuanmenkou andYaowa,which exhibited the convenient water traffic andprosperity of the South Canal.
        Float bridges were one of the "eight views" ofTianjin in the Qing Dynasty. From 1887 to 1930`s,Tianjin built,removed and rebuilt 6 iron bridges. Mostof them were openable bridges. The Jinhua Bridgeat Yuanmenkou was the first openable iron bridge inTianjin.
        The float bridge on the South Canal was the onlypassage from Tianjin to Governor-General Yamen.Li Hongzhang,Governor-General of Zhili,wanted tochange the float bridge at Yuanmenkou to iron bridge forthe traffic from Tianjin to his yamen. The Salt Bureauwas against the idea because an iron bridge could notbe open for passing boats,so the bridge was built overZiya River,which was the first iron bridge in Tianjin. Itwas designed in the form of a famous painting in China-"River Painting during Qingming",also called DahongBridge.
        In 1888,the Jinhua Bridge was built atYuanmenkou,also called "Laotieqiao",which was thefirst openable iron bridge in Tianjin.
        In 1905,the Jinhua Bridge was rebuilt. The original"Laotieqiao" was removed to Jinzhong River,thuscalled Jinzhong Bridge. In 1918,the Sancha Bayou wasdug straight. Jinzhong River was deleted and JinzhongBridge was removed to South Canal at Paper Temple,still called Jinzhong Bridge.
        In 1920,the South Canal was dug straight anddeleted Hou`s Bay. Jinhua Bridge was again removed toBeidaguan,still called Jinhua Bridge.
        In 1982,Hebei Road was broadened. The JinhuaBridge was rebuilt by steel and cement. Many rivers andsea brought about the prosperity of transportation. Thehistory of the bridges reflected the changes of Tianjin.

        

·1905年改建的开启式金华桥