Erasmus Bridge After the succes of the Willem Bridge in 1981 the Rotterdam City Council decided in the late 1980s to built yet another eyecatching bridge. The Erasmus bridge was opened in 1996 and was already nicknamed "Swan" long before its completion. It is a suspension bridge and the pylon is 123 metres high. This was big news in its own right. The bridge is an essential link to the former docklands on the soutbank of the river and making them part of the the city centre. The monumental character of the bridge makes it an icon of the city. Thebridge is flood lit during the evening and night.