Forth Bridge given World Heritage Site status

USPA NEWS - World heritage status is given to sites of "outstanding universal value" with the aim of protecting them for future generations. The award puts the Forth Bridge alongside the Pyramids of Egypt, the great Wall of China and the Sydney Opera House in terms of cultural significance.

The Unesco inspection report stated: "This enormous structure, with its distinctive industrial aesthetic and striking red colour, was conceived and built using advanced civil engineering design principles and construction methods.
"Innovative in design, materials and scale, the Forth Bridge is an extraordinary and impressive milestone in bridge design and construction during the period when railways came to dominate long-distance land travel."

Designed by Sir John Fowler and Benjamin Baker, it measures 2,529m (1.5 miles), weighs 53,000 tonnes and was at the time the world's longest multi-span cantilever bridge. When it was constructed it was one of the most ambitious projects of its kind ever attempted, and at its peak, more than 4,500 men were employed building it. The bridge, which spans the Firth of Forth between South Queensferry on the outskirts of Edinburgh and North Queensferry in Fife, was opened in 1890 after eight years of construction.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the bridge was one of the "industrial wonders of the world" and congratulated the team behind the bid.
She added: "The Forth Bridge is an outstanding example of Scotland's built heritage.
"Its endurance is testament not only to the ingenuity of those who designed and built it but also to the generations of painters, engineers and maintenance crews who have looked after it through the years."
The bridge is owned by Network Rail, whose infrastructure director, David Dickson, described it as "a prime example of civil engineering and an iconic structure, not only in Scotland but across the world."

Source: Mixed media
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