The Ponte degli Alpini at Bassano del Grappa
is proof, if any were needed, that Palladio is more than a one trick
pony, capable only of continuously regurgitating formulaic villas
and church facades on demand. It demonstrates that other side
of architecture, rather less common today, of engineering projects
such as structurally challenging bridges.
Admittedly, yet again it is little more
than a scaled copy of a Roman template (in this case the design for
Julius Caesar's bridge across the Rhine), even to the extent of
placing poles upstream of the bridge piers to deflect logs and other
potentially damaging objects colliding with the bridge structure.
Unfortunately I was only passing by as the
light was fading and had no time to explore what seems to be a
rather delightful town with medieval cathedral, castle...the usual
Italian cultural stuff.
As if I needed an excuse for another
visit. |
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