The Polish city of Gdansk has seen unusually cold weather that has frozen the river Motlawa and kept a moveable bridge out of action.

Temperatures as low as -23C froze the river for the first time in sixteen years. With no access for shipping, the Motlawa Drawbridge has been kept closed, allowing pedestrians and cyclists an unrivalled view of the frozen river below. Footage of people walking and skating on the ice went viral, despite attempts by the authorities to keep people from accessing the frozen river.

Skaters and ice walkers try the frozen waterway despite warnings. Credit: Ponting

The 13m Motlawa Drawbridge was completed in 2017 from a design by Ponting with mechanical engineering by La&Co with landscape architecture and spatial design by Bruto.