Oh, when times get rough
And friends just can’t be found
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Paul Simon
A favourite song from one of my favourite songwriters opens this post about bridges. The symbolism of a ‘bridge over troubled water’ speaks to us all. Whether a literal bridge helping us to cross a river, railway or other obstacle, or a metaphorical one helping us navigate difficult time in our lives, we all rely on bridges.
And as photographers I think we are also drawn to them as interesting and often imposing structures. Beth asks us to feature them for this week’s Lens Artists challenge. I’m keeping it simple as it’s a particularly busy week for me. So here is a gallery of some favourite bridges. Some are close to home, others are from my travels around the world. You’ll almost certainly have seen some of these photos before but I was keen to include a wide selection in terms of style and location.
My feature photo is of the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, taken from the Ponte alle Grazie
Bridges over the Tyne, Newcastle, north east England
(from front to rear: the Tyne Bridge, the Swing Bridge, the High Level Bridge and the Metro Bridge)
The Gateshead Millennium Bridge at night from Newcastle Quayside, north east England
Do you need me to tell you that this is Tower Bridge in London?
(not London Bridge!)
Punting under the Bridge of Sighs in Cambridge, England
The Pont des Arts and Institut de France, Paris
The Pont Neuf and Île de la Cité from the Pont des Arts, Paris
The Pont Mirabeau, Paris
The Pont Alexandre III, Paris
Hohenzollern Bridge over the Rhine and Cologne Cathedral, Germany
The Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco
The Brooklyn Bridge, New York City
Bamboo bridge over the Nam Khan river, Luang Prabang, Laos
The bridge is washed away each year during the monsoons and rebuilt afresh afterwards
The Shinkyo Bridge, Nikko, Japan
The Japanese Covered Bridge, Hoi An, Vietnam
61 Comments
Annie Berger
What a treat seeing your post devoted to bridges, Sarah, as they’ve always been a favorite of mine. Hard to pick just one, so I’ll choose the shot of the many bridges in Tyne, and then, for personal reasons, the Brooklyn Bridge as we’ll be there at the end of November to visit our daughter and her husband on the tail end of our current trip, and then your image of the Golden Gate Bridge because we’ll spend Christmas in SF with our son and his family! Too bad you didn’t include a shot of any bridge in Chicago where our second daughter lives!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Annie, I’m glad to have picked out such relevant bridges for you and also that you liked the iconic Tyne bridges – a favourite sight of ours 😊 As you know, if ever you come to England I’d love to be able to introduce you to Newcastle!
Annie Berger
Thank you, Sarah, for your kind invitation, as that shot of Tyne is simply magical. You’re making it harder to resist a visit!
Marie
A great collection – I know quite a few… I like the photo with Cologne Cathedral in the background.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Marie 😀 I enjoyed walking across that bridge in Cologne with the view of the cathedral ahead of me.
Brad M
Fun to see so many familiar bridges, plus a few yet to be enjoyed. Thank you.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Brad, glad you enjoyed my selection 😄
Anonymous
Those are just beautiful! Beautifully photographed, too. 👌🌟
Sarah Wilkie
Not sure who you are, but thank you 🙂
wetanddustyroads
Yes, you have my full attention with this post! Whether it’s a big and impressive bridge or a small insignificant bridge – I like them all! You guys do bridges well in the UK (actually all over Europe). I love the one in Cambridge and how amazing that bridge in Laos is rebuilt every year – wow!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Corna, I’m glad you enjoyed my bridges 😀
I. J. Khanewala
A lovely gallery of the famous bridges of the world. You have remarkable light in that photo of the Ponte Vecchio
Sarah Wilkie
Many thanks 😊 I was lucky with that light. It was a lovely morning and we set out fairly early for our walk so the sun was still low enough (in late October) to light up the river beautifully.
the eternal traveller
Oh yes, I’ve seen several of these. I think I’ve mentioned before we were at the top of Tower Bridge when it opened to let a ship pass. That was a bit exciting.
Sarah Wilkie
That must have been interesting! I’ve seen it open several times, but always watching from the riverside.
Kirstin Troyer
Absolutely beautiful selections. I don’t think I could walk across that bamboo bridge. I’d be too scared.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you very much Kirstin 😊 I always figure that if I see other people crossing safely then I should be fine!
grandmisadventures
beautiful pictures- but I think my favorite is those from Paris. They really made bridges into an artform all their own 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
Many thanks Meg 😀 Yes, Paris knows how to do bridges!
equinoxio21
Very well done Sarah. Som of my favourite bridges there.
The ponte vecchio reminds me that before the POnt-Neuf, all bridges in Paris had houses on them too…
“Sous le Pont Mirabeau coule la Seine,
“Et nos amours.
“Faut-il que je m’en souvienne,
“La joie venait toujours après la peine.
“Vienne la nuit, sonne l’heure
“Les jours s’en vont, je demeure.”
(Apolilinaire.)
Sarah Wilkie
Many thanks again 😊 I didn’t realise that ALL Parisian bridges used to have houses on them (as did our own London Bridge and others). Nor did I know that poem about the Pont Mirabeau, which seems to me to be a less visited and celebrated bridge than some of the others.
equinoxio21
Oh, your bridges too? Makes sense though.
That poem is very famous, precisely because the bridge is… a bit out of the way…
photobyjohnbo
The song was played at our wedding so many years ago. It is still a favorite… but I digress… it is about bridges, this challenge is. You’ve got some wonderful historic examples, Sarah!
Like most things engineered these days, the typical bridge is utilitarian and not at all pretty. For an example, look down the River Thames from the Tower Bridge and see the new London Bridge. I find it an anachronism that I have seen the new one in London, but not the original in Arizona. >grin<
Sarah Wilkie
A lovely wedding choice! Glad you enjoyed my bridges John, and yes, it does seem odd that you’ve seen the new London Bridge but not the one in Arizona. However that one can’t really be described as the ‘original’: https://www.guidelondon.org.uk/blog/around-london/history-of-the-old-london-bridge/
photobyjohnbo
Again, you’ve taught me something. I didn’t realize that the Arizona version was a redesign. >grin<
rkrontheroad
I’ve seen a few of these: Nikko ❤️, Golden Gate – love the fog in this photo. My favorite here is Gateshead Millennium Bridge with it’s color and reflection.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Ruth 🙂 I love the Gateshead Millennium Bridge at night! The colours change so I have several versions of this photo in different colours.
Sofia Alves
I love that I can do a bit of globetrotting with you, Sarah. This post does not disappoint, wonderful collection of familiar and not so familiar bridges. Last one is my favourite, as it was new to me.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Sofia, it’s always a pleasure to take you on a virtual tour 🙂 And I’m glad to have shown you somewhere new!
Leanne Cole
I think I knew you would do bridges from all around the world. I did wonder when I would see the Tower Bridge from someone and it was here. Great post Sarah.
Sarah Wilkie
As a Londoner I couldn’t not include Tower Bridge but you’re right, the main aim was to include bridges from all around the world. Thank you Leanne 😀
Vicki
What a wonderful and varied selection of bridges, Sarah.
I love the Japanese bridge and the covered (Japanese) bridge in Vietnam, but the Ponte Vecchio is a favourite too.
One of my few bridges I photographed on my travels was the Ponte Vecchio in Florence and the Tower bridge in London. I faintly remember it might be one of the few photos not yellowed and faded from my travels.
My Mother told me, when she was doing family history, that one of our ancestors helped build 19C London Bridge. I don’t remember whether he was a stone mason or what. London Bridge (for those who don’t know) was sinking into the Thames London Bridge (as oppsed to Tower Bridge in your photo) was dismantled and shipped to the U.S. in the 1960s.
Sarah Wilkie
Many thanks Vicki 😊 How interesting to have an ancestor involved in the building of Tower Bridge! There’s a story that the Americans who bought the old London Bridge thought they were getting Tower Bridge, but I’m not sure if that’s fact or myth!
Anne Sandler
Sarah, what a variety of bridges you’ve selected to show us. I loved the Gateshead Millennium Bridge and the Japanese Covered Bridge!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Anne 😊 The Gateshead Millennium Bridge is a real favourite of mine, especially when lit up at night!
bushboy
Fabulous gallery of bridges from around the world Sarah. Does the Bridge of Sighs in Cambridge have the same meaning as Venice? The Ponte Vecchio is one of my favourite bridges
Sarah Wilkie
Many thanks Brian 😊 The Bridge of Sighs in Cambridge is named after the Venice one, I think because it is also covered, but there’s no other connection as far as I know.
bushboy
No one walked to their execution over this bridge I guess
Sarah Wilkie
No, but maybe students heading to the examination room felt not too dissimilar!
bushboy
😂
Ana Daksina
🤣👌
restlessjo
Not a bridge there that I wouldn’t want to cross, Sarah. Can’t help but burst into ‘The fog on the Tyne is all mine, all mine…’ but the Ponte Vecchio is a hard act to follow xx
Sarah Wilkie
I can’t remember the last time I saw fog on the Tyne, but that’s such a catchy song isn’t it? Thank you very much Jo 😘
restlessjo
Yes, always conjures that image xx
Tina Schell
Loved the bamboo bridge and its short’-lived existence! We spent a bit of time in Luang Prabang but never saw it. Maybe it was down at the time??? 😉 Anyway, a wonderful set from start to finish.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Tina 😊 The bamboo bridge is over the smaller Nam Khan, not the Mekong, and I don’t think everyone gets over to that side of the town even though there’s so little distance between the two rivers. Or maybe as you say, it was down at the time of your visit.
margaret21
I absolutely agree with Anabel, though I’m secretly miffed that you have chosen them and not left Newcastle for me! Seriously, I love the geographical and ‘type’ variety here, from humble and simple to sophisticated, all human life is here.
Sarah Wilkie
Really Margaret, was I ever going to NOT include Newcastle in a post about bridges?!!! 😄😘 But I’m sure you can show it too – the more that city is shown off, the better! I’m glad you liked the variety here – as I said to Maggie, that’s something I was aiming for in my selection.
margaret21
Good oh. Well, we’re etertaining French friends this week. Blogging is a little on the back burner. We’ll see….
Monkey's Tale
I love that you’ve shown the many variations of bridges there in the word, from bamboo to highly decorated. Love the featured image one the most. Maggie
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you very much Maggie 😊 I did aim for variety so I’m happy you picked up on that!
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter
Great photos all of them, but I like the Newcastle ones best. Not that I’m biased or anything …
Sarah Wilkie
Many thanks Anabel 😊 There is something special about that line of bridges so close to each other. I photograph that scene every time I am on the Quayside, even though I already have more than enough shots of it!
Egídio
Fantastic collection, Sarah. The bridges (and reflections for some of them) are so beautiful. There’s definitely something very romantic about bridges.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Egidio 😊 I do like it when I can capture the reflection as well as the bridge itself.
Marie
Lovely collection of bridges.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Marie 🙂
Wandering Dawgs
Sarah, I love your beautiful collection of bridges! You have shown us a great variety of bridges from around the world. My favorite is your featured image of the Ponte Vecchio in Florence. I recognized the Tower Bridge. Thank you for taking part in the bridge challenge.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you very much Beth 😊 This was a fun challenge!
Sue
What a wonderful set of bridges, Sarah! Love the Parisian ones and that bamboo one looks perilous to say the least!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Sue 😊 The bamboo bridge is only intended to last six months or so, and I gather it always does.