Building Bridges

Good morning, and welcome!

I’ve always seen bridges as a simple and easy way to get from one place to another. Take the Bering Land Bridge, for example, which drew groups of early humans from Asia to inhabit the Americas. Bridges take you from point A to point B, quickly and efficiently. No questions asked. There and back again.

However, as with everything, each bridge has a story of its own.

The fascinating history of bridges was a subject which was brought to my attention by my aunt, who had recently perused a list of interesting facts about the Golden Gate Bridge. When she relayed the information to me in conversation, she spoke of a project that was more than just a new road. It was a feat of civil engineering, claimed to be impossible. Yet through all manners of hardship, the bridge remains, patiently allowing today’s drivers and pedestrians passage across the San Francisco Bay.

I did some additional research. The world’s oldest datable bridge, spanning the Meles river, is famously close to the birthplace of the Greek poet Homer. The world’s longest bridge is over 100 miles long. There’s a locomotive bridge in Germany that is designed to appear as though it is made of legos. The possibilities are endless, and each bridge plays a unique role in its community. Sure, it’s a transportation method, but it’s a very stylish one. And so today, I’m excited to learn more, starting with, of course, the Golden Gate!

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Golden Gate Bridge

(Photo "Golden Gate Bridge" by Curtis Fry is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0)

Between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean is the Golden Gate Bridge, the iconic orange suspension bridge that has come to symbolize life on the West Coast. Built in 1937, it was seen as light at the end of the dark tunnel of America’s Great Depression. Ingenuity and engineering artistry were at work here: as the largest suspension bridge of its day, the Golden Gate Bridge was a marvel of 20th century technology and symbolized progress in the midst of economic hardship. Though building a bridge in this area was once considered impossible, Joseph Strauss presented a design for a bridge that would withstand earthquakes, strong winds, and frequent use for a third of the estimated cost. How? The answer was a suspension bridge of epic proportions. Now, over 80 years later, the Golden Gate bridge is still in use. It has withstood the weight of 300,000 people on its 50th anniversary, a repainting that lasted about 30 years (the discovery of the harmful effects of lead paint was made after the bridge’s construction), the magnitude 6.9 Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, and, of course, Florentine Calegeri, a woman who was the first to cross the bridge on stilts.

The Golden Gate Bridge’s official website included some recommended reading, including this in-depth dissertation on the bridge’s history, dated 1958: https://www.goldengate.org/assets/1/6/loomis_dissertation_1958.pdf

Ponte Vecchio 

(Photo "Firenze" by Francesco Sgherri Ph is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

With a name meaning “Old Bridge” in Italian, it isn’t hard to guess that Ponte Vecchio, a bridge that runs over the Arno river in Florence, Italy, is in fact the oldest bridge in the country. Though there were structures in the area that preceded it, Ponte Vecchio in its current form was built in 1345. Its design is credited to Taddeo Gaddi, a painter and architect. However, the proportionate and harmonious style of the bridge lends itself to the suspicion of Dominican friar involvement as well. Ponte Vecchio was built to defend the city, but it also served as a functional extension of the Florentine streets on land. The shops inside the bridge were favored by butchers and fishmongers, as the Arno river was a simple and easy way to dispose of the waste that comes with such a job: just dump the excess out the window. Suffice to say, it wasn’t long until the Medici kicked these shop owners out of the bridge due to the intense stench of this waste and replaced them with jewelers and goldsmiths, some of which still exist today. Nowadays, the bridge’s history makes it a popular tourist attraction. You can see the bridge on foot or by boat, and tours are given sometimes. Ponte Vecchio is a stunning and iconic example of Italy’s fascinating history and heritage, and is a must-see on a trip to Florence.

Read more about Ponte Vecchio on this VisitFlorence webpage: https://www.visitflorence.com/florence-monuments/ponte-vecchio.html

Tower Bridge

(Photo "Bridge With Clouds" by SubtlePanda is licensed under CC BY 2.0)

London’s Tower Bridge has long been one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. It was designed by City Architect Sir Horace Jones and John Wolfe Barry in 1884 and completed a decade later. The project was an enormous one: an enormous hydraulic drawbridge that could be raised for passing ships, then lowered to enable street traffic. The drawbridge was originally powered by steam, but now uses oil and electricity as an alternative. The only dilemma presented by the bridge was a simple one: it wasn’t available full time. To solve this issue, there was an additional corridor built over the top of the drawbridge that stretched between the two towers at each end of the bridge. This was meant to encourage pedestrian crossing even when the lower drawbridge was out of commission, but due to the long, exhausting climb to the top of the towers, most people found that waiting was preferable, and the walkway was closed in 1910. Since its construction, the bridge has seen 6 British monarchs reign, endured both World Wars, been painted red, white, and blue in 1977 to celebrate the Queen’s Silver Jubilee, and seen a bus jump between the two sides of the drawbridge as it opened. I’d say this historic bridge has had a pretty interesting life!

For the ultimate view of the Tower Bridge, try walking across its reopened upper walkway… on top of a glass floor! Find more info in this Secret London article: https://secretldn.com/tower-bridge-glass-floor/

Bastei Bridge

(Photo "2013_08_03" by Thomas.der M is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Perched atop some truly breathtaking natural rock formations in Saxon Switzerland, Germany is the Bastei. It was originally a part of Neurathen Castle, an 11th century fortress that was burned to the ground 300 years after its construction. While some hikers come to experience the ruins, the view of the surrounding landscape overshadows the occasional castle remnant. And the very best place to see it all? Bastei Bridge. The sandstone bridge, built to replace a wooden one in the 19th century, spans more than 250 feet long from rock tower to rock tower and overlooks a spectacular view of mesa rock formations and rich, green forest. Access to the bridge requires a rigorous 45-minute uphill hike, but this iconic view, sometimes known as “the city of stone”, is worth the work. It was the site of the first landscape photography taken in the entire beautiful country of Germany! The Bastei includes a natural theater, several stone rooms, and lookout points on numerous different towers. The Bastei Bridge connects many of them. Nearby, there is also the remains of an early medieval catapult that was built here, likely near the time of Neurathen Castle itself. In addition to visiting the bridge, people come here to camp in the nearby villages, rock climb, and raft on the Elbe river.

Experience the Bastei Bridge with help from this Northern Hikes article: https://blog.northernhikes.com/684/bastei-bridge/

Pont Alexandre III

(Photo "IMG_1078-rth - IMG_1082-rth" by micter59 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

At just over 500 feet long, the Pont Alexandre III bridge was named after the father of Russian Tsar Nicholas II, who famously laid the bridge’s very first stone, to commemorate the alliance agreed upon by the nations of France and Russia five years prior. It spans across the Seine river in the center of Paris. Crossing pedestrians and motorists can even stop to see the Eiffel Tower looming over the bridge! This meant that by the time construction of the bridge was finished, it, along with similar structures such as the Grand Palais, was in the middle of all the action by the time of the 1900 Paris Exposition, a world’s fair dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments of the waning 19th century. Today, the bridge continues to entrance tourists with stunning golden sculptures of winged horses, cherubs and nymphs, lions, and sea monsters. It is also known for its beautifully intricate candelabras, topped by electric street lamps that illuminate the walkway at night. However, since the bridge was engineered the blend in with Paris’s skyline, all of its splendor goes virtually unnoticed from a distance. It’s become a symbol of Parisian art and architecture, but only to those who take the time to look.

For more info on the Pont Alexandre III bridge, read this Bonjour Paris article: https://bonjourparis.com/history/the-bridges-of-paris-pont-alexandre-iii-an-open-air-museum/

Dragon Bridge

(Photo "Dragon bridge Danang Vietnam" by Gаme of light is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

You might be wondering how the Dragon Bridge, located in Da Nang, Vietnam, got its name. Does it have something to do with a natural landmark in the area, like the Bastei Bridge? Is it named after someone important, like Pont Alexandre III? Nope. The Dragon Bridge was designed to be embellished with an actual metal dragon sculpture, weaving around the half-mile bridge complete with 2,500 LED lights to illuminate the structure at night. It is programmed to intermittently breathe fire from the sculpture’s mouth past 9 PM each Saturday and Sunday night, and also occasionally sprays water as well. Construction of the bridge began in 2009 in celebration of the anniversary of the port city’s liberation by the North Vietnamese in the Vietnam War. It was designed by the Louis Berger group in a worldwide competition. Beger’s idea was inventive, functional, and celebrated Vietnam’s unique culture and heritage by drawing from dragon legends dating back to the Ly dynasty, for whom the creature represented power, nobility and good fortune. Today, the bridge can be viewed by boat as well as waterfront dining on the shore, and is best seen at night when the sculpture is aglow from all those beautiful lights.

For more information on the construction of this bridge, give this AEC Next article a try: https://www.aecnext.com/exploring-functional-aesthetic-roles-dragon-bridge/

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It never ceases to amaze me just how many stories are out there to discover, especially when they come from unexpected places. Functional civil engineering project turned historical and cultural monument? Well done, world. Way to multitask. Color me impressed.

This morning, I challenge you to take the same lesson from the six architectural marvels above as I did when researching them: the journey is just as important as the destination. There aren’t many people that stop to appreciate a bridge, because that often isn’t the intended purpose. But taking them for granted only denies you the opportunity to hear (or read about) a pretty interesting yarn.

I leave you with a quote from John Steinbeck: “We don’t take a trip. A trip takes us.” So why resist when the best experiences come from taking time to appreciate the journey?