Clifton Suspension Bridge is a suspension bridge over the River Avon in Bristol, England. The bridge was built in 1836-1864 by engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel. It was his first independent project, which in time became one of the main attractions not only of the city, but also the whole country. The need to build a bridge over the Avon River Gorge arose in the XVIII century, but the work began only a hundred years later. At first it was planned to build the bridge of stone. After the invention of cast iron, it became possible for architects to build suspension bridges, the first of which were bridges in the Appalachian Mountains in North America, built in the late 18th century. Brunel worked on the Clifton Bridge for 28 years and it was commissioned in 1864. Its total length is 230 meters, including a 190-meter long span over the Avon River Gorge. The bridge offers an amazing view of the surrounding countryside. Nearby is the Clifton Observatory, which houses a camera obscura, which is a distorted mirror, reflecting an image of the surroundings on a special screen, which is located in a special darkened room. Also near the bridge are the famous Bristol Caves, among which the Giant’s Cave is especially notorious. In addition, there is a major tourist center where you can learn the long and interesting history of the construction of the Clifton Bridge. Clifton Bridge is also notable because it was the site of the world’s first bungee jump (jump from the bridge on a rubber cable) from a height of over 75 meters. It was performed by athletes from the local club of extreme sports. Today the bridge is especially popular with tourists and athletes. But it also gained a sad reputation as the last refuge of many suicides, for which it was nicknamed the “Bridge of the Suicides. During public events (e.g., the International Ballooning Festival) Clifton Bridge is usually closed, because there is a danger that it will not withstand heavy loads. Now the bridge is fenced with a rather high railing, and warning signs with the telephone numbers of the Samaritan Society are placed at its piers.

The post Clifton Suspension Bridge appeared first on Can Olfang-Lyndwr.