Where, besides St. Petersburg, were drawbridges built, and which ones can compete with the sights of the Northern capital

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

From April to November every night in St. Petersburg you can watch a real show, the main characters of which are drawbridges. A rare sight worthy of such attention of tourists, and therefore, perhaps, such bridges want to be considered an exclusively St. Petersburg peculiarity. But no - these structures are found all over the world, and sometimes they are not inferior to the drawbridges of the Northern capital in terms of showiness.

Drawbridges - appearance

There is evidence that the first movable bridges across large rivers appeared in the third millennium BC. in Egypt, and in the 7th century BC. such a bridge was built in Babylon, it crossed the Euphrates River. During the Middle Ages, such bridges were built over the moat that surrounded the castle, and raised in case of danger of attack.

In such devices there was only a winch and a counterweight - with their help, the position of the bridge relative to the banks of the ditch was changed. But from the second half of the 19th century, when the idea of movable bridges began to be used to facilitate navigation, their design became much more complex and varied. The choice of the type of drawbridge began to determine its length, its functional purpose - whether it was intended for pedestrians, cars or railroad transport. And now, in the 21st century, tourists from different parts of the world have the opportunity to appreciate the spectacle and photogenicity of drawbridges on five continents of the planet.

Most often, one span of the bridge becomes moving, which rises, falls or turns so as to ensure the passage of ships. The rest of the time, it serves as a ferry from one coast to another.

Tower and Rolling Bridges, Hornbrucke, and Pegasus Bridge - WWII survivor

Perhaps the most recognizable drawbridge in Europe (besides the Palace in St. Petersburg) is the Tower Bridge in London. Like its St. Petersburg competitor, it is made drop-down - two spans of the bridge go up. This bridge was built in 1894, and now it provides Londoners and visitors to the English capital with great shots in the heart of London - 4-5 times a week.

In the same place, in London, a unique folding bridge was built, it does not exceed 12 meters in length, but it looks very impressive: consisting of eight triangular sections, it folds into an octagonal wheel with the help of a mechanism, opening the passage of small ships along the Grand Union Canal. According to the engineer Thomas Heatherwick, who created the folding bridge, his creation in the opened state does not look like a broken one - unlike other drawbridges.

Pegasus Bridge, which is located in Normandy, got this name after it was at the center of the military operation of the Second World War. It was here in 1944 that battles unfolded, the strategic goal of which was to capture this crossing through the Kansk Canal. Previously called "Benouville", the bridge received its new name in honor of the stripe on the uniform of British paratroopers - in the form of this mythical creature.

The Hornbrücke Bridge, which is located in Germany and connects the two banks of the fjord, folds in the shape of the letter N. This happens every hour. The rest of the time, the bridge provides unimpeded pedestrian traffic, which overcome it 25 meters and enjoy the views of the town of Kiel.

Record bridge, bridges in honor of the new millennium and women of the past

The longest vertical drawbridge in Europe is located in Bordeaux, France. This is the Jacques Chaban-Delmas Bridge - it was named after the former Prime Minister of France. To be on the opposite bank, you need to overcome 433 meters, either pass or on foot - the bridge is designed for both cars and pedestrians.

In London, Gateshead, the Millennium Bridge was built in 2001, connecting the banks of the Tyne River. The design consists of two arcs, which, when the mechanisms that provide movement are launched, turn into a single structure, which is why they resemble a "winking eye" - and this is how the second, unofficial name of the bridge appeared. Millennium is bred about two hundred times a year, the whole procedure takes just over four minutes.

In Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2001, a spectacular structure was erected with a spectacular name - the Bridge of the Woman (Puente de la Mujer). It is pedestrian, swivel one-arm, that is, the moving part rotates along the horizontal axis, opening the passage for ships. The external appearance of the bridge symbolizes a couple performing tango, and the name is given because of the large number of surrounding streets named after prominent women.

When creating drawbridges, engineers take into account the purpose of the future structure, its carrying capacity, and the best are guided not only by formal conditions, but also by their own talent - then they become truly famous. Like Joseph Strauss, who at one time revolutionized bridges, and also became the one who invented and implemented the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco - not a drawbridge, but perhaps the most famous among the list of works of an engineer.

One of his many creations was the Skansen Bridge in Norway - since 1918, it has been carrying out a railway connection between the two banks of the Trondheim Canal.

About what other bridges can be: quirks of architects.