Harbor Bridge
The Harbor Bridge weighs 53800 tons and has been under construction for 8 years. The steel arches weigh up to 39,000 tons, and the whole thing is secured with 6 million rivets. The Harbor Bridge cost a whopping $20 million, although it was originally estimated to cost only $4.2 million. The expensive enterprise began to be used for its intended purpose in the winter of 1932, and it was possible to pay off the debt incurred after construction only in 1987.
The bridge received the name "Hanger" from its arched shape. The idea of the bridge, like any grandiose enterprise, has been hatched for a long time. It is well known that it was first mentioned back in the 19th century, but only after five decades things would move forward. During this fruitful time, 24 projects were rejected, until finally two equally majestic figures appeared on the horizon: Sir Ralph Freeman and Sir John Bradfield. These two engineers, giants of thought, were destined by the dictates of time to begin the construction of the bridge in 1926.
The city administration was determined to build a Harbor Bridge. This, in particular, is indicated by the sad fact that 800 houses blocking the access to the bridge were demolished without hesitation. 800 families found themselves on the streets, and compensation for the loss of their homes was denied to all. What can I say here – harsh morals. A total of 28 volumes were needed for mathematical calculations of the construction. The bridge structure is movable: it expands to 18 meters on hot days.
For a tourist's note.
Guided tours are available, but only from the age of ten. Lifting is done exclusively in a special suit with insurance and rubber shoes. They will give you out, help you get dressed, and an instructor will help you. Any gadgets will be politely but persistently asked to hand over, photographing is the privilege of instructors. After all the conventions have been taken into account by mutual agreement, mathematics lovers can go counting the steps. Climbing the Harbor Bridge will take about an hour and a half out of a tourist's measured life. This is an approximate minimum. In other routes, there are disproportionately more steps, which means that the cost of time and money increases accordingly to the efforts expended. Get ready: the number of steps passed is directly proportional to the jitters in all parts of your body.
How to get:
Public transport – bus: No. 150x, 203, 228-230, 286, stop – "Milsons Point Wharf, Alfred St." (north side), № 333, 392, 396, 399, L94, X97 – Circular Quay bus stop (south side). The landmark is the opera house and the port. Depending on the route, you will have to fork out: adults – from 198 to 403 Australian dollars, children – from 126 to 293. The price includes a visit to the museum.
