Wonders in progress
Mount Rushmore, Keystone, South Dakota, USA
Mount Rushmore, Keystone, South Dakota, USA
Eiffel Tower, Paris, France
Eiffel Tower, Paris, France
Eiffel Tower, Paris, France
Nelson’s Column, London, UK
Parliament of Canada, Ottawa, Canada
Parliament of Canada, Ottawa, Canada
Parliament of Canada, Ottawa, Canada
Brooklyn Bridge, New York City, New York, USA
Brooklyn Bridge, New York City, New York, USA
Other workers died from falls or injuries and many suffered from decompression sickness or “the bends” – a result of pressurized air in the caissons the men worked in. Upon the landmark’s completion, in 1883, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world, spanning around 1,600 feet (488m) from tower to tower. But even when the structure was finished, there were still fears over its safety. Circus owner P. T. Barnum famously led 21 elephants over the bridge in 1884 to allay the public’s anxieties. It’s seen here around a decade earlier, as cables were put into place in 1875.
Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia
Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia
Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney, Australia
Another beloved landmark Down Under, Sydney Harbour Bridge came earlier than the famous opera house and was finished and opened in 1932. The idea for a bridge that would connect the center of Sydney to its northern suburbs had been floated in the 1910s by civil engineer John Bradfield, but the First World War prevented work from getting underway. By 1922, though, attention had turned back to the project and construction soon began. This photo shows the progress made by 1926.
Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney, Australia
Statue of Liberty, New York City, New York, USA
Statue of Liberty, New York City, New York, USA
Statue of Liberty, New York City, New York, USA
The official pedestal was designed and built on American soil by architect Richard Morris Hunt, and finished in 1886. Lady Liberty herself arrived at New York Harbor one year before, in 1885, ready to be assembled on her shiny new plinth. Her face is pictured here in June 1885, as she was unpacked from around 214 crates. She was finally dedicated in October 1886. See more vintage images of America’s most historic attractions.
United States Capitol, Washington DC, USA
Neuschwanstein Castle, Schwangau, Germany
Neuschwanstein Castle, Schwangau, Germany
Grand Central Terminal, New York City, New York, USA
Construction of the Grand Central Terminal that stands today got underway in 1903 and remains an enduring attraction in New York City. A replacement for an earlier station, it’s celebrated for its Beaux Arts-style architecture, and boasts a façade complete with intricate sculptures, columns and an ornate clock face. It’s pictured here, in the throes of construction, around 1912 – it would be finished and opened to the public in 1913.
Gateway Arch, St Louis, Missouri, USA
Gateway Arch, St Louis, Missouri, USA
Gateway Arch, St Louis, Missouri, USA
Today it remains the tallest monument in the United States. We see the arch here in 1965, in its final stages of construction, as the keystone is hauled into place. Legend has it the keystone contains a time capsule containing the signatures of thousands of St Louis residents. See if you can guess these famous landmarks from their close-ups.
Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC, USA
Forth Bridge, Scotland
Forth Bridge, Scotland
Washington Monument, Washington DC, USA
This enormous marble obelisk soars to 555 feet (169m) and was built as a tribute to first president George Washington. Construction of the monument – which was originally intended to comprise a large pantheon as well as an obelisk – began in 1848, but funds soon dwindled. Work halted and wouldn’t begin again until after the Civil War. It recommenced in the 1870s, under the eye of the Ulysses S. Grant, and the landmark was finally dedicated in 1885. It’s seen here, partially completed, in the 1860s.
CN Tower, Toronto, Canada
CN Tower, Toronto, Canada
London Eye, London, UK
One of the most distinctive shapes along the Big Smoke’s skyline, the London Eye – formally opened at the end of 1999 – was built to mark the new millennium. It’s a striking sight, with six backstay cables holding up the entire structure and a diameter that stretches 394 feet (120m) across. Pictured here in September 1999, the wheel’s enormous bulk lies across the Thames, ready to be lifted into place. Can you guess these UK landmarks from their close-ups?
Empire State Building, New York City, New York, USA
Empire State Building, New York City, New York, USA
Manhattan Bridge, New York City, New York, USA
From one great New York landmark to another: soaring across the East River (and not to be confused with Brooklyn Bridge), this is one of the most striking crossovers in the Big Apple. Work on the suspension bridge began at the turn of the century, and it was opened to traffic in 1909. It’s pictured here during the construction of its main span, which would eventually stretch out to 6,855 feet (2,089m). Find the most impressive bridge in your state here.
The Shard, London, UK
Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bristol, UK
Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bristol, UK
Work on the bridge – to a design by civil engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel – wouldn’t begin until 1831, after Vick’s original bequest had had some time to accumulate. However, the Bristol riots of 1831 soon caused construction to halt and dwindling funds would see that work remained paused for decades. After Brunel died in 1859, the bridge was completed in part as a tribute to the late engineer, with revised designs by William Henry Barlow and Sir John Hawkshaw. It’s captured here under construction in 1864, the same year it was finally finished.
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California
Divers also plummeted some 90 feet (27m) below the water’s surface to remove rock for the construction, and a cargo vessel colliding with the access trestle in the early stages delayed the bridge’s completion. When the bridge was finally finished, in 1937, its main span stretched out for 4,200 feet (1,280m) and its towers soared to 746 feet (227m). This striking photo was taken earlier that same year.
Now discover 30 of the world’s most beautiful bridges
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