Difference between revisions of "Charles Albert Bridge"

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<div style="font-size: 25px; text-align: center;">
 
<div style="font-size: 25px; text-align: center;">
Sioule Viaduct<br />
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Charles Albert Bridge<br />
Viaduc Sioule<br />
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Pont Charles Albert<br />
Pontgibaud, Auvergne, France<br />
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Caille Bridge<br />
492 feet high / 150 meters high<br />
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Pont Caille<br />
632 foot span / 193 meter span<br />
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Allonzier-la-Caille, Rhône-Alpes, France<br />
2005<br />
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482 feet high / 147 meters high<br />
[[File:1SiouleVinciConst.jpg|1000px|center]]
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(600) foot span / (183) meter span<br />
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1839<br />
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''World's Highest Bridge 1839-1912''<br />
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[[File:9CailleHenryVolt.JPG|750px|center]]
 
</div>
 
</div>
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Image by Henry Volt.
  
  
Rising nearly 500 feet (152 mtrs) above the Sioule River valley, the Sioule Viaduct is one of several huge bridges that make the A89 motorway one of France’s two great “high” bridge highways - the other being the A75, home of the Millau, Verrières and Truyère viaducts.
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The highest bridge in the world upon its opening in July of 1839, the Pont Charles Albert retained this record for 73 years - one year longer than the Royal Gorge bridge in Colorado and the longest any bridge has held the title since the stone aqueducts of ancient times.  Built in honor of the Duke of Knowledge, King Charles Albert of Sardinia, the narrow span crosses high above the Usses River in the mountainous Rhône-Alpes region of France.  In 1928 the one lane suspension bridge was bypassed by a new Caille bridge that also entered the record books as the longest span concrete arch bridge.  Since then the Charles Albert has become one of the world’s 10 highest pedestrian-only bridges complete with a souvenir shop and snack bar.  The classic structure still stands as Europe’s highest suspension bridge while the new Caille bridge next to it is Europe’s second highest arch bridge after the Gueuroz bridge over the Trient River in Switzerland.  
 
 
Curving over a valley 3,248 feet (990 mtrs) across, the 64 foot (19.5 mtr) wide, 4-lane roadway is supported on a variable depth prestressed single cell concrete box girder that is 33 feet (10 mtrs) deep at the piers and 18 feet (5.5 mtrs) deep at the center of the spanConstructed in just over 3 years by the balanced cantilever method, the tallest pier of 430 feet (131 mtrs) assists in supporting the two longest spans of 632 feet (192.5 mtrs).
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The stone towers are an imposing pile, made to look like the entrance to a medieval castle or fortress. Like many classic French suspension bridges of the 1800s, the two main cable suspension planes are each composed of 3 separate cables with vertical suspender cables spaced evenly apart from each other to more uniformly support the weight of the thin deckThe engineers of record are E. Belin and C. Berthier.
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Although very similar in size and scope to the Tulle viaduct - also on the A89 - architect Berdj Mikaelian has given the Sioule a stealthier, more modern feel with sharp edged twin blade pier supports.
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[[File:1CailleChristopheSeger.jpg|410px|center]]
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Charles Albert Bridge image by Christophe Seger.
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[[File:2CaillePBY.jpg|410px|center]]
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Charles Albert Bridge image Copyright PBYhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/pby/2800407659/
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[[File:3CaillejBridge.jpg|400px|center]]
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Both spans are referred to as the Caille bridge though only the suspension bridge is named after Charles Albert.
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[[File:4CaillePostcard.jpg|750px|center]]
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Charles Albert / Caille Bridge postcard.
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[[File:5CailleChristopheSeger.jpg|410px|center]]
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Charles Albert Bridge image by Christophe Seger.
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[[File:6CailleHenryVolt5.JPG|750px|center]]
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Charles Albert Bridge image by Henry Volt.
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[[File:7CailleHenryVolt2.JPG|410px|center]]
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Charles Albert Bridge image by Henry Volt.
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[[File:8CailleChristopheSeger3.jpg|410px|center]]
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Charles Albert Bridge image by Christophe Seger.
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 +
[[File:10CailleHenryVolt.JPG|750px|center]]
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Charles Albert Bridge image by Henry Volt.
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[[File:11CailleHenryVolt.JPG|420px|center]]
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Caille Bridge image by Henry Volt.
  
  
<div style="text-align: center; font-size: 25px;">
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[[File:12CaillePBY.jpg|420px|center]]
[[File:SiouleViaductElevComingSoon.jpg|1000px|center]]<br />
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Charles Albert Bridge image Copyright PBYhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/pby/2800407659/
Sioule Viaduct Elevation<br />
 
</div>
 
  
  
[[File:2SiouleBeam.jpg|1000px|center]]
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[[File:15CailleBridge.jpg|750px|center]]
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Charles Albert / Caille Bridge postcard.
  
  
[[File:3SiouleEgis.jpg|1000px|center]]
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[[File:16CailleHenryVolt.JPG|410px|center]]
Sioule Viaduct image by Egis.
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Caille Bridge image by Henry Volt.
  
  
[[File:4SiouleEgis.jpg|700px|center]]
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[[File:17CaillePBY.jpg|410px|center]]
Sioule Viaduct image by Egis.
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Charles Albert Bridge image Copyright PBYhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/pby/2800407659/
  
  
[[File:5SiouleEgis.jpg|800px|center]]
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[[File:9CailleAerial.jpg|730px|center]]
Sioule Viaduct image by Egis.
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Charles Albert Bridge satellite image.
  
  
[[File:6SiouleAerial.jpg|1000px|center]]
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[[File:10CailleAerial2.jpg|730px|center]]
Sioule Viauduct satellite aerial.
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Charles Albert Bridge satellite image.
  
  
 
[[Category:Bridges in France]]
 
[[Category:Bridges in France]]

Latest revision as of 02:44, 9 December 2009

Charles Albert Bridge
Pont Charles Albert
Caille Bridge
Pont Caille
Allonzier-la-Caille, Rhône-Alpes, France
482 feet high / 147 meters high
(600) foot span / (183) meter span
1839
World's Highest Bridge 1839-1912

9CailleHenryVolt.JPG

Image by Henry Volt.


The highest bridge in the world upon its opening in July of 1839, the Pont Charles Albert retained this record for 73 years - one year longer than the Royal Gorge bridge in Colorado and the longest any bridge has held the title since the stone aqueducts of ancient times. Built in honor of the Duke of Knowledge, King Charles Albert of Sardinia, the narrow span crosses high above the Usses River in the mountainous Rhône-Alpes region of France. In 1928 the one lane suspension bridge was bypassed by a new Caille bridge that also entered the record books as the longest span concrete arch bridge. Since then the Charles Albert has become one of the world’s 10 highest pedestrian-only bridges complete with a souvenir shop and snack bar. The classic structure still stands as Europe’s highest suspension bridge while the new Caille bridge next to it is Europe’s second highest arch bridge after the Gueuroz bridge over the Trient River in Switzerland.

The stone towers are an imposing pile, made to look like the entrance to a medieval castle or fortress. Like many classic French suspension bridges of the 1800s, the two main cable suspension planes are each composed of 3 separate cables with vertical suspender cables spaced evenly apart from each other to more uniformly support the weight of the thin deck. The engineers of record are E. Belin and C. Berthier.


1CailleChristopheSeger.jpg

Charles Albert Bridge image by Christophe Seger.


2CaillePBY.jpg

Charles Albert Bridge image Copyright PBYhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/pby/2800407659/


3CaillejBridge.jpg

Both spans are referred to as the Caille bridge though only the suspension bridge is named after Charles Albert.


4CaillePostcard.jpg

Charles Albert / Caille Bridge postcard.


5CailleChristopheSeger.jpg

Charles Albert Bridge image by Christophe Seger.


6CailleHenryVolt5.JPG

Charles Albert Bridge image by Henry Volt.


7CailleHenryVolt2.JPG

Charles Albert Bridge image by Henry Volt.


8CailleChristopheSeger3.jpg

Charles Albert Bridge image by Christophe Seger.


10CailleHenryVolt.JPG

Charles Albert Bridge image by Henry Volt.


11CailleHenryVolt.JPG

Caille Bridge image by Henry Volt.


12CaillePBY.jpg

Charles Albert Bridge image Copyright PBYhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/pby/2800407659/


15CailleBridge.jpg

Charles Albert / Caille Bridge postcard.


16CailleHenryVolt.JPG

Caille Bridge image by Henry Volt.


17CaillePBY.jpg

Charles Albert Bridge image Copyright PBYhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/pby/2800407659/


9CailleAerial.jpg

Charles Albert Bridge satellite image.


10CailleAerial2.jpg

Charles Albert Bridge satellite image.