Something Old, Something New
The #FlickrFriday #Bridge challenge
The London Millennium Footbridge (popularly known simply as The Millennium Bridge) is one of the most recently constructed crossings of the River Thames. A suspension bridge, it opened in June 2000 to celebrate the new millennium but those using it were immediately disconcerted to feel it swaying as they crossed. It closed the same afternoon, limited access was allowed for another couple of days, then it closed for a further two years while the boffins sorted things out.
The swaying was caused by resonance. Consider pushing a child's swing. If one regularly applies just a small amount of force at precisely the right instant, the degree of swing (amplitude) achieved becomes surprisingly large. Those using the bridge on that first day subconsciously fell into step with the initially imperceptible sway of the bridge, together applying the force at just the right instant to increase the amplitude of the swing. Not good. It is for that reason that formations of marching troops are usually instructed to break step on reaching a bridge, lest they find themselves dumped in whatever is beneath.
St Paul's Cathedral is the seat of The Bishop of London. Construction began in 1669 following the destruction of its predecessor in The Great Fire of London three years previously, although the date of laying of the first stone is disputed. Its architect, Sir Christopher Wren, unusually (for those days) lived to see his project through to completion which was declared on Christmas day 1711, although work actually continued for several years thereafter. His tomb, found in the cathedral crypt, famously bears this epitaph, written in Latin: "If you seek my monument, look around you." Quite.
One of London's most loved landmarks, it featured in one of the great iconic photos in British History, taken by The Daily Mail's Herbert Mason. It shows St Paul's rising out of the smoke caused by heavy overnight air bombardment from Der Luftwaffe in World War Two
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1342305/The-Blitzs-iconi...
Flickr tourists may also pick out The Barbican just to the right of St Pauls and The Old Bailey at the extreme right of the photo
Enough already. The photo is a blend of three, combined using the HDR software provided with my Canon EOS 100D, taken at dusk on 2nd May from the south bank of The Thames outside The Tate Modern Gallery. A fairly nondescript photo point by day, it really comes to life at night.