Sunday, June 29, 2008

EDM #174: Draw a bridge - Nový Most ( Bratislava, Slovakia)

Nový most ( New Bridge , formerly Most SNP ) is a modern structure crossing Danube River (Donau, Dunaj ) in Bratislava, Slovakia. It was built in early ´70s (exact 1967-1972) and is 7th largest suspension (cable-stayed) bridge in the world.

Whole bridge hangs on steel ropes (in 3 points) from a single 85m high pylon, which is in fact an A-shaped steel column on top of which is restaurant and café UFO watch.taste.groove accesible from street level by an fast elevator for 10 people in one beam of the pylon (or by an emergency stairwell of 430 stairs in the other beam ). From top of roof is amazing panoramic view over the city, the river Danube and surroundings 100 km far away. LOOK AT IT HERE !


The bridge is 431,8m long, 21m wide and has two decks (upper is for car traffic, the lower 3,5m wide for pedestrian and cyclists). The entire steel structure weighs 8000 tons in total. It was done by architect J.Lacko and engineer A.Tesár and was declared the structure of the century for Slovakia. It is 27th and most lower building in World Federation of Great Towers but the only one being pylon of the bridge...



Sunday, June 22, 2008

19th World Wide Sketchcrawl Bratislava, Slovakia

Yesterday was the 19th International Sketchcrawl . Wheather was fine, quite hot (there was 31 degrees of Celsius at 18:00 evening! ) , but perfect for all day walk around Bratislava . I start several kilometers long walk by Donau river (unfortunately the times when it was called "blue" are definitely gone ). You can see New Bridge , which steel constuction,hanging on steel cables, is 432 m long...I think it will be soon part of EDMS drawing here (174 Draw a bridge) in this blog.
Through bank of river you come to town..to the Slovak National Museum with Memorial Of Czechoslovak Statehood with bronze lion on 14,85 m tall column. Lion holds shield with state emblem of (former) Czechoslovak state.
The next street from Slovak Muzeum you can find bronze Duck Fountain made 1914 by the sculptor Kuhmayer. It is nice fountain with interesting story...soon here in this blog :-)
Going to the Old Town is the opportunity watch ( and sketch) people resting, walking, listen to street performancers ,..
The sketches are done in plain paper notebook ( Donau river in aquarell Moleskine) with Lamy fountain pen and VanGogh watercolors )