Old Meets New - St Paul's and the Millennium Bridge

by Mark E Tisdale

Title

Old Meets New - St Paul's and the Millennium Bridge

Artist

Mark E Tisdale

Medium

Photograph - Photo Art

Description

There's something about the view of the Millennium Bridge crossing the Thames to meet St. Paul's Cathedral that I find really fascinating. I've stopped in this area on the south side of the Thames on each visit and photographed it as much as I can as a non-resident of London.

It's the story of London, of ever-forward, not mired in the past behind those graceful lines. When Sir Christopher Wren was tasked with re-building St. Paul's Cathedral after the great fire in 1666, he was determined that the new church would have a dome even though his designs met with opposition. Hundreds of years later, the new Millennium Bridge was met with similar dislike, and amongst many complaints was that it didn't suit St. Paul's. I find that delightfully ironic as St. Paul's would look nothing like it does today if critics in the past had their way!

To my eyes, and I think this photo illustrates it, the beautiful lines of that light and airy bridge truly lead ones eyes directly to the great dome, an iconic sight on the London skyline for generations. In fact, I find the Wobbly Bridge to be a future icon in waiting. It garnered the nickname because it rocked at first when crowds crossed it and had to be closed for structural changes. If the monicker sticks, it will go down as one of those names that makes little sense in hundred years, eh?

Uploaded

June 22nd, 2012

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