The Brooklyn Bridge is a timeless architectural wonder, spanning the East River in New York City from Brooklyn to Manhattan. It’s a huge source of pride for Brooklynites, as well as a romantic destination for tourists, as it’s one of the oldest bridges in the United States and one of the most iconic monuments in the world. Here’s a look at some mesmerizing and absorbing facts about the beloved Brooklyn Bridge that you may not know.
History of the Brooklyn Bridge
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It Was the First Steel Wire Suspension Bridge — The Brooklyn Bridge was completed in 1883 and was the first-ever steel wire suspension bridge. This revolutionary design is what allows the bridge to be so stable, even with hundreds of pedestrians, vehicles and trains passing over it every day.
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Its Chief Engineer Was Renowned –John Augustus Roebling was a renowned civil engineering expert and the chief engineer of the Brooklyn Bridge. He designed the bridge for two main purposes: to lessen the amount of time it took for vehicles to cross the river and to create a bridge that would be able to handle the increase of shipping vessels around the East River.
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There Was a Ten-Year Dispute Over Patents — Roebling’s original design was based on one of his previous patents, but that patent had been sold to a rival engineering firm. This firm tried to sue the Brooklyn Bridge team, but the dispute was eventually settled with a ten-year patent agreement.
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Its Construction Was Amazing — It took 14 years to build the Brooklyn Bridge with 600 workers and 80 engineers working on it. The main construction material used was sandstone, granite, limestone and cement. The bridge also had a revolutionary design, as it was the first bridge to implement two cables and two towers for stability.
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There Was a Tragic Accident — Sadly, Roebling’s health was severely affected during the construction of the bridge. He became infected with caisson disease and died from complications related to it. His son, Washington Roebling, took over the role of chief engineer and finished the bridge.
Design Facts About the Brooklyn Bridge
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It’s an Iconic Monument — The bridge has become an iconic structure and symbol of New York City and the United States, and it’s been featured in countless movies, books, photos and other works of art.
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The Bridge Is Dubbed the City’s “Eighth Wonder” — The bridge has also been dubbed the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” because of its unusual design, stability and beauty. The two towers that support the bridge feature Gothic-style arches, and in the evening, when the bridge is lit up, it looks even more majestic.
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It Makes an Unusual “Hum” — When you pass over the Brooklyn Bridge in a car, the tires make a humming sound as they pass over the vertical cables. It’s a phenomenon known as “the hum” and it only occurs on bridges with cable suspension designs.
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Each Cable Has a Length Equivalent to the Equator — Impressive as it may sound, each cable of the bridge is 4,260 feet long, which is the equivalent of the circumference of the equator.
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The Bridge Can Withstand Earthquakes — The Brooklyn Bridge has been specially designed to withstand the force of earthquakes up to 8.0. The thick, heavy cables are anchored to the bedrock of the river, making them extremely resilient to natural disasters.
Statistics and Facts About the Brooklyn Bridge
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It’s a Major Transportation Center — 18,000 vehicles, 4,000 pedestrians, and 2,600 bicyclists all cross the bridge every day, making it a major transportation center in the city.
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It’s One of the Most Photographed Sites — The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the most photographed sites in the city and it’s estimated that it’s photographed more than one million times a year.
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It’s in Popular Culture — The bridge has become a popular culture reference, appearing in television shows, movies and art such as Annie Hall, Ghostbusters and bridges in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
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It Was Named a National Historic Landmark — The Brooklyn Bridge was named a National Historic Landmark in 1964, and was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
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IT’S A MAJOR TOURIST ATTRACTION — The Brooklyn Bridge is a major tourist attraction in the city and each day around 2 million people cross it to get a glimpse of New York’s iconic skyline.
The Brooklyn Bridge is an important part of American history and culture. It’s a symbol of pride and progress and it’s one of the most spectacular structures in the world. From its fascinating origin story to its incredible design and status as a major transportation center and tourist destination, it has become an iconic monument and a major source of inspiration to people around the world.