It’s beautiful, but is it art? Even though it’s a bridge tower, we say yes. This is one of the towers from the Ravenel Bridge on the Cooper River in Charleston, South Carolina.
It’s called a “cable-stayed” bridge because the trafficway is supported by cables which hang from towers. The cables transfer the weight to the towers, which transfer the weight to the ground. These sculpture-like bridges are scattered throughout the US and around the globe. In addition to moving people and vehicles across water, they’re appealing to look at, and fun to cross.
But moving traffic isn’t the only use for these impressive spans. On a pan-flat coast they’re usually the tallest structure around, and there’s no better place to get a stunning view of Charleston, the Cooper River, and Atlantic Ocean in the distance. Community-minded designers included a dedicated pedestrian path up this man-made mountain which gives flatland cyclists and joggers the perfect place for hill-training. And each year 30,000 to 40,000 runners test their mettle on the Ravenel Bridge Run.
Just down the coast is another functional beauty: the Sidney Lanier Bridge in Brunswick, Georgia. Massive car-hauler ships sailing up the Brunswick River need lots of clearance, so not surprisingly, this is the tallest bridge in the state.
From the simple, elegant design of these bridges, you’d expect them to be a modern concept. But in fact, the first cable-stayed bridge was designed in the 16th Century by the bishop and polymath Fausto Veranzio. This bridge and his many other inventions earned him the nickname “The Leonardo da Vinci of Croatia.”
In 1988 the National Endowment for The Arts awarded the prestigious Presidential Design Award to a similar cable-stayed bridge, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, outside Tampa, Florida. So obviously, we’re not the only ones who think these attractive bridges are functional art at its finest.
Happy Trails,
James & Terri
Photo Credits:
3. LordTroy via Wikimedia Commons
5. Mike Raybourne via Wikimedia Commons
7. Duve via Wikimedia Commons
8. Sam via Wikimedia Commons
12. Courtesy pbs.org
13. Gus Rios via Wikimedia Commons
GALLIVANCE 
these are wonderful – and that Dallas Hunt Hill bridge must be amazing to drive across
🙂
all of them actually – and nice to cross such artsy bridges…
never saw the Georgia one – and I like the birds in the S. Korea shot. – also very interesting to learn the designs date back to
16th Century …
wonderful art post.
Thanks Yvette. Is that Dallas bridge not fabulous? It doesn’t look like it could stand, let alone carry traffic. We’ve seen cable-stayed bridges in lots of locations, and they’re all a pleasure to look at. The bridge in Brunswick, GA is impressive because its soooo high. From the top, there’s a great view of the tidal marshes, islands, and the Atlantic Ocean.
oh how fun that you get to travel and see all these cool bridges… and fun that you share them on your resource blog….
have a nice week
Thanks for reblogging our post. The simple lines of this bridge clearly show that art doesn’t have to be complex to make a considerable visual impact. ~James
Great post. Bridges can be wonderful works of art.
Thanks Peggy. I was always pleased and impressed that government officials added a dedicated pedestrian lane to this bridge. To spend this amount of public money and not make it useful and accessible to as many people as possible is ridiculous. ~James
Love these cable-stayed bridges, and thanks for that term. We’ve passed over several, and every time I think I’m going to get that great photo . . . this time. But usually, there’s glare from the windows, or I’m not quick enough or something. These photos are all fabulous and show off the bridges for the works of art they really are.
Rusha, the next time you’re down Charleston way, go see the Ravenel Bridge. There’s a parking lot on the Charleston side at the base of the bridge. It’s a pretty good walk up to the top, but the views when you get there are worth it. It’s a dedicated path which is separated from the traffic by a wall. It will give you a chance to walk off a few of those praline calories. 🙂 ~James
May get there in February if weather holds out! Pralines first. Bridge next.
I’d nearly forgotten my desire to travel around and see how many bridges I could walk. Now, you’ve got me thinking about that again! Gorgeous photos.
Susan, that’s a worthy endeavor. We’ve seen some cool bridges in places you might not expect: Dubrovnic and Bratislava for instance. ~James
Absolutely loved this post! The bridge in Dallas looks amazing 🙂
Thanks Virginia. It’s good to hear from you. Isn’t that an absolutely beautiful bridge! Thank goodness for all the computer power necessary to complete all the calculations to pull that bridge off. ~James
I love cable stayed bridges. There’s a beautiful one in Rotterdam that I saw first hand.
Carol, I just googled the Rotterdam bridge and you’re right, it is beautiful. I’ve seen a few of these one-sided types and they’re even more dramatic that the center spans. There’s a smaller, less grandiose version of this type of bridge in Dubrovnik, which was a real surprise for me. I saw it by accident when I took the wrong bus. 🙂 ~James
I’ve always had a fondness for bridges of any kind.
Marie, to be honest, until I saw a few of these cable-stayed bridges, I didn’t think much about them. But these beautiful structures have changed my mind. ~James
Reblogged this on Allison Westmont.
Allison, thanks for dropping by the blog and for reblogging our post. I suspect that most people driving over these bridges don’t think about the art involved, but it certainly wasn’t lost on me. ~James
I totally agree with you! And your awesome pictures just prove the point! Thanks.
Thanks Cecilia. I was just in Louisville, KY yesterday and saw their new cable-stayed bridge across the Ohio River. It’s another attractive example. ~James