Viaduct of the Poniatowski Bridge, c. 1915

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There were corruption scandals on a grand scale in the past… Bribes worth one hundred thousand roubles accepted by the chairman of the Construction Bureau; the building work dragged on for nine years, costing 8 million roubles (rather than the planned 4.5). The building of the Third Bridge (now the Prince Józef Poniatowski Bridge) was embroiled in a gigantic scandal. Completed in 1913, it was blown up a mere two years later by the Russians retreating before the German armies. Do not be misled by the excellent condition of the viaduct that towers over the Powiśle District– like the vanguard of a better, downtown world – the actual bridge was not rebuilt until after the war, in the years 1921–1927.