Iron arch
Over the Severn.
Colin — CC BY-SA 4.0 · HARTLEPOOLMARINA2014 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · J Scott — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Pam Goodey — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Amanda Slater from Coventry, West Midlands, UK — CC BY-SA 2.0
The Iron Bridge is a cast-iron arch bridge spanning the River Severn in the Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire, western England, about 43 km in a straight line north-west of Birmingham. It opened in 1781 as the first major bridge in the world made of cast iron. Its success encouraged the wide use of iron in building, and it has become a symbol of the Industrial Revolution. The gorge was once one of the most important industrial centres in the world, thanks to coal, iron ore and limestone lying close to the surface. The graceful black arch spans about 30 m over the river and can be crossed on foot from the small town to the far bank. Ten museums on industrial history are spread around the gorge, among them the Victorian town of Blists Hill, where staff in 19th-century costume bring the past to life. The Ironbridge Gorge was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. Crossing the bridge is free, the museums are paid, and the finest view of the bridge is from the riverbank below it.
Over the Severn.
Victorian town.
Finest view.
Ironbridge, Shropshire, United Kingdom
Yes.
About 43 km in a straight line.