One of the structures created by man (and sometimes vagaries of nature) that we are more fascinated by bridges and today we will fix some that transcend the mere passage function and also incorporate houses. Let’s look at five bridges inhabited in the world, beautiful buildings overlooking the river.
Inhabited bridges were common in the Middle Ages in Europe, when they sought to avoid land taxes or tolls installing homes or businesses in these buildings. Today, that house remain some shops, stores and even homes.
Perhaps soon see a trend emerge, recover this way of housing, view pictures and environments, should not be so bad … I guess about these bridges in flirtatious studies, remodeled with all amenities. That if sometimes we should not matter the movement of people who want to bring to contemplate these curious and popular bridges inhabited.
We started with the Krämerbrücke bridge is the longest in the world among which are inhabited. It is in the city of Erfurt, Germany, and its name means “bridge of the merchants”. The houses seem casitas tale, with its irregular roofs, overhanging balconies and varied colors. Formerly bounded by two churches, one at each end of the bridge, the stone replaced wood and stores exotic items brought from the East by merchants to modern craft shops and restaurants that populate its internal pedestrian walk today.
Then we travel to Pulteney Bridge, which crosses the Avon River , located in a city and Heritage Site, Bath, England. It was designed by Robert Adam in Palladian style and completed in 1773. It is one of the five inhabited bridges in the world, with shops along both sides, as a flower shop, an antique shop or juice bar. After many renovations, it is clear the difference between the elegant main facade and the less successful north facade, more austere. I ask the first.
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The Ponte Vecchio is perhaps the most recognizable inhabited bridge to be in Florence, Italy, and have become one of its icons. It is the oldest bridge in Florence, with precedents in Roman times. Its present appearance dates back tothe fourteenth century, when it was built to replace a bridge destroyed by a flood. In its early smiths he housed shops, butchers and tanners, who were replaced by goldsmiths and jewelers that endure today, with street artists populating your broker. Although this construction seems to include only businesses, it is said that some shops hide small apartments with the best views of the city to the Arno river. We do not spare his bustling epicenter of a historic city like Florence?
The covered bridge in the city of Lovech, Bulgaria , crossing the Osam River, connecting the old and new parts of Lovech, possibly being the most recognizable symbol of the city. It was originally built in the late nineteenth century with a length of 84 meters, a width of 10 meters and 64 shops and homes. After several reconstructions, today is a pedestrian bridge and along its 106 meters contains nine shops, three workshops and two patisseries, but it survives in any home.
We turn to an example of inhabited bridge preserved in Asia, specifically the bridge-pagoda Chùa Cầu, which has become the biggest tourist attraction in Hoi An, Vietnam. Built in the seventeenth century, it is Japanese style and was used as a courthouse. Inside there is no story, unlike previous bridges, but despite its small size has a Buddhist temple. Maybe a special place to find inner peace? If you do not have many visits …