It currently holds the title of the longest standing permanent bridge in Novi Sad, lasting for 61 years until its destruction on 11 April 1941 by Yugoslav army during the Invasion of Yugoslavia.

[1][2][3][4] The bridge was originally named as Emperor Franz Joseph Bridge (Serbian: Мост цара Франца Јозефа, Most cara Franca Jozefa, Croatian: Most cara Franje Josipa, Hungarian: Ferenc József híd) after Franz Joseph I of Austria between 1883 and 1918.

Between 1941 and 1944 during the Axis occupation of Serbia it was just called the Railway Bridge (Serbian: Жележнички мост, Železnički most, Croatian: Željeznička pruga, Hungarian: Vashíd).

[1][2][3][4] In the Second World War, by the orders of the Military-Technical Services of the Novi Sad Military Region and Captain Svetozar Popov, the bridge was destroyed at 23:48 on 11 April 1941 by Yugoslav army to slow down the German advances to the south.

[1][2][3][4] During the retreat, the German forces also planned destroy bridge tunnel with 30 wagons of munition explosives that would have resulted in the destruction of the fortress and large parts of the city.

The tunnel and the fortress were saved by Guido Pesapane, an Italian prisoners of war who escaped his imprisonment and warned the locals of the planned destruction.

[5] Most of the bridge piers exist to this day, with one removed by explosives in August 1961 for easier river navigation.

[6][7] Although the idea of building a bridge at the foot of the Petrovaradina Fortress existed for decades, the plan for its implementation came about in 2010, with 2019 being the true beginning of its realization.

From Novi Sad it would be access from the pedestrian and bike paths from Cara Lazara Boulevard and Sunny Quay, while the Petrovaradin side could be accessed via the 355-meter long Guido Pesapane tunnel (and an elevator going up to the Fortress) and future pedestrian and bike paths on the Kamenički road.