“Bridges will be not scolded: who can abuse an outstretched hand of Gods?”, – someone famous has said. In point of fact, is there any reason to complain about those things which you can’t imagine your city without?
Neither season, nor bad weather can’t prevent having a walk along Zhytomyr foot-bridge. Even though, there are several different bridges in Zhytomyr, this one can’t be left without any attention. It has many various names: amorous bridge, foot-bridge and rope-jumping bridge. Not only do Zhytomyr brave hearts jump from it, but a lot of people come here from different cities too. It is no wonder, because the bridge is the second highest bridge in Ukraine, which stimulates to take risk. There are more those ones who come here to enjoy looking at scenery.
It’s the way it always used to be: firstly the Chaudoirs as park’s owners or honorable lords which were invited here. “Posts” written by fans of romantic walks used to look differently. In “Illustrated guide around North-Western railway” published in 1897 it is written: “The river flows along rocky banks, which appear to be huge grey cliffs, vertically and horizontally crossed by cracks; grass is turning green and flowers are blossoming; there are places where wild steeps are rounded out by rivers, locality is like a magic gorge, which is guarded by lithic giants…”
People came to enjoy looking at the beauty in soviet times too; they were taking a good look at “grey wilderness” from sky lobbies.
It is hard to imagine Zhytomyr without foot-bridge. The beauty if Teteriv, ancient stairs built by legendary architect Dlouhi, bluff river banks, paddle…Everything is spread before the eyes!
The bridge has been built for long time and with a lot of effort from 1974 to 1982. During USSR people were making everything in poshy style, plans of constructors were massive: it must have been a complex made of two foot-bridges for walks to Monument of Honor. They didn’t have enough time, because Soviet Union has fallen apart and the construction of it was stopped.
Even though there are more fashionable or more ancient bridges, the beauty seen from it amazes for the full. How can one be cold-hearted when you can see half of Zhytomyr from here?
Massive metal wares on the height of 43 meters hold 200-metered foot-walk. These metal constructions are attached to two 70-metres pilons.
Did anyone see cars on the bridge? I have no idea. However, cyclers got used to riding through this path to the forest and Zarichany. It is comfortable to get to climbing routes on the opposite side of Teteriv’s bank.
More than thirty years after its total repairing the sustainable construction has got attire – incredible lightening, which attracted professional alpinists to assemble it. The new system of brightening includes 200 point and dozens of LED-projectors, placed on its construction. Colorful RGB lightening is controlled and dynamic: one color is slightly changing into another. It is on the point of improving and it is planned to be connected with sounding.
There is a little time left to wait for it, so Zhytomyr foot-bridge will be able to compete for the right to be the top best bridges in Ukraine or even in Europe!
Photos from website: http://zt-grad.blogspot.ru/2016/03/1930-1950-1960-1970.html
Translated by Aliona Matushevich
