Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of the city’s best-loved landmarks as the largest (but not longest) steel arch bridge in the world, arching 134 metres above the harbor. In 1815 Francis Greenway suggested building a bridge to span the harbor between the northern and southern tips of the city. Although proposals were invited and submitted, none seemed to be adequate and the project was temporarily abandoned. However, during the first World War, interest again surged and this time a building contract was issued to an English firm, Dorman Long and Company. Building began in 1924, enlisting 1,400 men who took eight years to build the 4.2 million pounds sterling bridge. Sixteen men died during construction, and 800 families were relocated without compensation. The original tram tracks were later converted to rail tracks in the 1950’s and the bridge now holds eight lanes for traffic. In 1932 the Bridge opened to great fanfare and an interloper on horseback who slashed the ribbon with a sword and complained a member of the royal family should have headed the formal ceremony. An organization called BridgeClimb now escorts twelve climbers to ascend the bridge’s catwalks every ten minutes for a breathtaking