The Swedes died in droves on the Karluv Most.
Taking and holding Old Town Prague was the key to Königsmarck’s strategy of ending the Thirty Years War. But even the Flying Column, famous from Breitenfeld and the Pomeranian campaigns, couldn’t make the crossing.
Legends say that eggs were added to the mortar of the bridge to strengthen it against the spring floods of the Vlatava – not to mention invading armies. Further precautions were taken in the construction by targeting the exact start of the building for July 9th, 1357 at 5:31 in the morning – the optimal moment to begin building a bridge because these numbers formed the sequence 135797531, a palindrome symbolic of a sturdy bridge.
Bridges aren’t a thing to be taken lightly.
There are the obvious benefits to bridges. That they allow us to bypass obstacles goes without saying but is it clear that they offer a new path, one less tenuous or precarious and possibly one that takes us completely outside of the box into a whole new way of knowing? In dream interpretation the river can symbolize your emotions and the bridge a way to overcome the emotions and make a choice that takes us to a new phase. In the Tarot, the bridge serves as a journey into a separate realm – the one that divides the living from the dead.
Surly there was something to that viewpoint in the late summer of 1648, even if the laws were somewhat perverted by the bridge itself being the death-zone while those who refused to set foot on the structure were the ones to survive.
Karluv Most, also known as the Charles Bridge, was the first to link the two sections of Prague but it was and remains the most important of the seventeen structures crossing the great Vlatava. Thus the precautions.
When the Swedes had left, many said the only reason the bridge held was thanks to these safety measures. The accuracy of the palindrome 135797531 was vital to the Medieval mind because it was the literal manifestation of the eternal mind of God. Remember, Pythagoras had been sure that the order of numbers represented the projections of God and the only thing that was orderly, was Heaven.
In 1714 the Armenian Deodatus Damajan crossed the Karluv Most and opened what was probably the first coffee house in Prague.
So I ask you, is there a crossing that doesn’t matter?
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January Sadler
January says: “This bridge, originally built in 1938, is located in one of Florida’s first state parks, and is quite a lovely sight. At first, I was in awe of the surroundings of the park but this bridge reminded me of a simpler time. It takes you back on to a trail that seems almost primordial. Just be sure to bring a hearty supply of bug spray since the mosquitoes are quite friendly here.”
Sharing the planet one blink at a time, January Sadler is the owner/photographer of JDawnPhotos
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Marti Reed
“Glen-Woody Bridge, on the Rio Grande, south of Taos”
Marti says: ”For my dad, Jack Reed the Weather Wizard, this bridge was his favorite spot to go fishing while growing up in 1930s Santa Fe. It was also his favorite bridge in New Mexico (his dad designed the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge). His grandfather lived downstream as a hermit, running and monitoring the Embudo gauging station.
Returning from Taos one day in the 1990s, I took this picture. I found it on his desk after he died.
The bridge was built on piers from an earlier bridge burned during an 1870s Apache raid. It served a quartz-mining camp built in 1902 for the Glen-Woody Mining and Milling Company. They mined the enormous quartz deposits along the river.
By 1920 the mine’s future seemed bright. A small town grew up. But the venture proved unsuccessful, the town was abandoned, and Glen Woody’s hotel and buildings rotted away. Ashley Pond bought it for fishing parties. I wonder if my dad fished there alone or surrounded by Ashley Pond’s guests!”
Find Marti and her work over on Facebook.
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Jim Cox
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John Mata
Cabrillo Bridge, San Diego. Built 1914.
John introduced us to the photo editing program GIMP and guest-posted this awesome photo two months ago. Hear and see more from John at JohnMata.com
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Steve Collins
Steve says: “This is Coronado Bridge in San Diego. I took it while on the Harbor Cruise. I like the gray tones (although I shot it in color and didn’t adjust to b/w). This bridge dates to the 1969. Prior to that getting to Coronado from San Diego meant either taking a ferry or traveling way south and curving back north along the Strand. This is a magnificent bridge and I love seeing it from beneath.”Steve and his lovely wife Billie are The Santa Fe Travelers. Check them out.
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Jess Van Wickel
Jess says: “Sandy Creek Covered Bridge is located near Remote, Oregon, between Coos Bay and Roseburg in a small roadside park on State Highway 42. Hwy 42 is a pleasant drive from sea level at Coos Bay to Roseburg through the coastal mountains in south Oregon. It was used until 1949, when the highway bypassed the bridge. Thousands of motorists once used it to get to the coastal beaches. Oregon originally had over 300 covered bridges, but only 53 remain.We do not see a whole lot of covered bridges in the west, so Linda and I decided to stop and check it out. The original road bed is gone and has been replaced by a pedestrian walkway, but it gave us an idea of what travel on the narrow roads in the 1920’s and 30’s must have been like. This is lumber country; logging trucks must have shared this bridge with automobiles.”Camera: Nikon D200, Lens: Sigma DC 18-50mm 1:2.8 EX Macro, Taken: Aug. 28, 2008
Check out Jess’ AWESOME galleries at PicasaWeb
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Jared Yankowy
Jared says: “Gambling houses, saloons, mining operations, livestock ranches, shops, and more…just a few of the business endeavors created and owned by Mr. John Dunn. Living in Taos, New Mexico, he also built and operated this bridge, charging a toll for people and livestock to cross the Rio Grande River. Well, not this bridge exactly. It is the third edition. Until 1970, it was the only way across for miles and miles. A harrowing switchback awaits travelers on the west side. Since Mr. Dunn’s time, new ways of crossing the gorge have developed. Do you think he ever thought of this?”
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Debra Hansen Schmidt
Debra says: “Every year my husband and I go down to the Florida Keys for our anniversary. This Bridge is located in Bahia Honda Key. I took this image at Bahia Honda State Park, one of Florida Keys beautiful beaches where we love to go photographing the beautiful sunsets, sunrises and underwater photography while snorkeling.
Bahia Honda Rail Bridge was built as part of the Overseas Railroad in 1912 and converted for highway use in 1938. This bridge was the primary road to the island of the lower Keys, and served as the primary evacuation route. Today the bridge is used as a scenic over view of the area, and is one of our favorite places to take beautiful sunrise and sunset pictures, as you can walk on this bridge to the first one of the 2 of the truss spans that have been removed in order to allow boat traffic to pass thru.”
Find Debra’s fabulous work at Schmidt Photography.
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Jim O’Donnell
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Nice, Jim! Well worth the wait. Some fabulous bridges here.
I agree Steve! We've got a great group here and I'm thrilled to see all these different structures.
Great blog Jim, beautiful mix, thanks for including me!
No. THANK YOU!
Great job Jim, I'm glad I was able to get one in at the last minute, they are all beautiful bridges.
Thanks! I love these shots. I love the fact that the bridge in your shot is broken. That is so mysterious. Thanks again!
The range of atmosphere in these shots is wonderful. I do love a bridge!
I agree. This was a good way to approach bridges. Even tho one bridge alone has so many stories to tell, all the different types in different location demonstrate the vast range of stories possible! Thank you for coming by and welcome back any time!
Those are pretty cool bridges! Beautiful and mystic even!
I totally agree. Not only do they look great but there is such a mystery and a story with each one. What is on the other side? Why have people gone across them? What stories do they tell? I love them. Thank you for the nice comment!
Hi Jim,
These are some really great photos of some neat looking bridges. And yes, I can also believe that each one has many stories to tell. How many fish have swam under and how many people have gone over each? Keep’em comin.
Bud Corwin
Budcorwinsblog.com
Thank you!!
Great idea for a story and terrific photos from all the contributors.
Marc! Thank you. Coming from you, that means alot. I really love your work. These are fun people to work with and they have such great stuff!
Very cool subject.
I very much appreciate you participating.
great idea, bridges can be small or large, simple or grand and they still serve the same purpose – I like the ideas of the why, where, when, who of a bridge. Great contributions everyone!
Thanks Kiva! Are you home yet?
yep, home sweet home. I'm taking credit for bringing the rain…
Well, if you're taking credit, then I'm thanking you BIG TIME!!! It looked like a great trip. I appreciate seeing your shots. That area is so amazing.
I love this! Bridges are such symbolic structures, no matter what they connect, or don’t in the case of the Florida Keys photo. I had heard about the covered bridges in Oregon. I would love to cross some of those myself.
Nice story, Jim. You are as good a writer as you are a photographer. I can’t wait to see your photo of Williams Lake!
xo, Suzy
I love all the different types of bridges you featured here and all with distinct, interesting stories. Great photos! I live in San Diego so I’m very familiar with two of them and Coronado is magnificent. One of these days, I should really see it from below.
Mary, last time I was in San Diego I didnt pay a lick of attention to bridges. Of course, that was 20 years ago. I’m ready to go back! Thank you for all the nice words!
Love that last story with the kid! Nice of you to buy him a drink after all that.
That little punk needed some good old catholic guilt!
Lovely photos, Jim. I’ve always had a fascination with bridges as well, probably from watching “The Bridge of the River Kwai” way too many times as a boy. I guess there are a lot of movies where bridges are the site of dynamic events (Speed and The Dark Knight Rises come to mind). There are a few old covered bridges left here in Georgia, and this post has me thinking maybe we should do a road trip to try and shoot them all…
Bridges are almost as cool as doors. I really like the intro as to why bridges are of symbolic importance.