Og,
the caveman,
was just like Dublin Corporation. Og had to cross the stream
in front of his dwelling.
Og did
it by crossing on a fallen log. But, the log got too slimy and
he slipped. Solution: erect two logs in parallel, joining them
at 90 degree angles with planks of wood cut with a stone axe.
A bridge. |
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| Dublin Corporation
Planners felt an upscale version of the slimy log was needed
- a bridge that was ecologically and aesthetically in tune with
its surroundings. |
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| So, the planners
looked in their history books. Scary stuff, that! For example,
King Xerxes of Persia cut off the heads of his designers when
their pontoon bridge between Asia and Europe broke up before
his army could attack ancient Athens. Julius Caesar's engineers
built a huge bridge across the Rhine River so that his Roman
legions could cross and slaughter the German tribesmen on the
other side. |
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| "A dangerous
business, this!" declared the Corporation planners. So,
outside consultants were consulted. Bridge consultants fear one
thing above all else - well, aside from the Corporation check
bouncing. They worry that one day people will be looking at movies
of their bridge looking like the one you're looking at. This
is "Galloping Gertie," the short lived span across
the Tacoma Narrows in America. Gertie's designers miscalculated
the force of the winds roaring up the Narrows. The result: total
failure. |
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| There were
plenty of other examples from before the days of movie cameras.
One of the most famous bridges in the world, the Rialto Bridge
in Venice, was the winner of a design contest to replace a wooden
span which collapsed when a crowd gathered to watch a boat race
pass beneath. |
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| The Turkish
built bridge at Mostar in Croatia failed when first it was built.
The Sultan pronounced that the bridge designer would lose his
head if his second effort failed. The architect not only built
a bridge which lasted hundreds of years (until Serb artillery
destroyed it in the 1990's) but he also took the precaution of
skedaddling outside the Sultan's domain before the official opening. |
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| Bridge consultants
love old bridges. They are solid affirmation that it is indeed
possible to build bridges that will span both rivers and years.
For a good example, there is the Ponte Fabricio in the heart
of Rome. Built in 64 B.C. it still carries thousands of trucks
and cars across the Tiber River every day. |
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| So delighted
was King Henri IV of France with the solidity and beauty of the
Pont Neuf in Paris that he supposedly leaped across the unfinished
bridge, jumping from one pier to the next. Looking at the size
of the spans, we can assume that what the king really did was
hire a jumping good PR firm. |
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| Not only
the French love a good bridge. In 1856, Utagawa Hiroshige began
publishing his One Hundred Famous Views of Edo. His idiosyncratic
art not only won over the hearts of Edo citizens but also left
a deep impression on artists overseas, such as Van Gogh and Monet.
Among his lovely Views is this one of the bridge at Awate. |
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| The Japanese,
incidentally, have made an art of bridge building. The Zig Zag,
or "Yatsuhashi" bridge, was originally intended for
crossing marshy areas in Japanese farmland. Now, they adorn gardens.
In the words of one enthusiast "As the eye follows the path of this bridge, it is constantly
halted, and forced to change direction. This type of bridge demands
a high level of interaction from those approaching it, giving
one a visual 'workout' before you even start to cross the bridge
itself." |
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| Dublin's
consultants wisely decided that a "workout" was not
what the city fathers needed when heading home from a night at
the pub. They considered these famous designs for bridges, but
rejected them for the reasons listed below. |
Tower Bridge
Rejected: Not suitable for Dublin as there is no Tower here. |
Brooklyn Bridge
Rejected: Already sold. |
Rope Bridge in Argentina
Rejected: Liffey River not at the bottom of a 300 foot deep gorge. |
Golden Gate Bridge
Rejected: Would have to be painted green. |
The winner,
then, for a new Dublin footbridge is the design below.
|
Called
the Millennium Bridge, this design has three superb features.
- It could
be built in time for January 1, 2000 thus qualifying for a special
pot of Millennium grant money.
- Once
up and running, er... walking, it could temporarily replace the
famous Ha'Penny Bridge, which needed a thorough refurbishment.
- It ends
right at Eliza Lodge and Eliza
Blues Restaurant, where you can get fine views, a comfortable
night's sleep, and excellent (and affordable!) food.
Dublin's
consultants, planners, and city fathers are to be congratulated
for their brilliance!
| Reservations |
You'll be surprised by our ultra-competitive prices in our best-of-city location!
Reservations |
|
The Ha'penny Bridge
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