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		<title>Uber Creepy Tour: Abandoned Six Flags New Orleans [69 Pics]</title>
		<link>http://weburbanist.com/2010/03/17/uber-creepy-tour-abandoned-six-flags-new-orleans-69-pics/</link>
		<comments>http://weburbanist.com/2010/03/17/uber-creepy-tour-abandoned-six-flags-new-orleans-69-pics/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Angie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Abandoned Places]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel & Places]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Urban Images]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[abandoned]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[abandoned amusement park]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[abandoned New Orleans]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[abandoned Six Flags]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Urban Photography]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://weburbanist.com/?p=19801</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
All of us are like excited children when turned loose for a fun-filled day at an amusement park. The commotion of the enthusiastic crowd combines with mouthwatering scents of delicious snacks waiting to be gobbled up, and then mingles with flashing lights and pounding music from rides and attractions. Yet when an amusement park becomes [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19834" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/6flagsabandoned.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="450" /></p>
<p>All of us are like excited children when turned loose for a fun-filled day at an amusement park. The commotion of the enthusiastic crowd combines with mouthwatering scents of delicious snacks waiting to be gobbled up, and then mingles with flashing lights and pounding music from rides and attractions. Yet when an amusement park becomes abandoned and an eerie silence descends to blanket the decay, the atmosphere seems to twist and takes on a nightmarish vibe. Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, leaving Six Flags as another of its victims. Here are 69 uber-creepy urban exploration photographs as we tour the abandoned amusement park Six Flags New Orleans.</p>
<p><span id="more-19801"></span></p>
<h4>Flooded From Hurricane Katrina</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19802" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/underwater.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="435" /></p>
<h6>(image credits: <a href="http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=18622">themeparkreview</a>,<a href="http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2009/08/nickelodeon_to_build_theme_par.html">nola</a>,<a href="http://www.forumgarden.com/forums/south-east/47888-atlanta-atlantis.html">forumgarden</a>)</h6>
<p>Everyone knows that Hurricane Katrina left New Orleans in utter devastation. That happened on August 29, 2005, and by August 31, New Orleans, Louisiana, was 80% flooded. Parts of it were under 15 feet of water, but the storm surged to over 20-feet high in some areas. This drowning of the city included Six Flags. At the time, an amusement park was the least of people&#8217;s worries. However, 4 1/2 years have passed, and the good people of New Orleans have suffered more than their share. Does that mean they will also never regain this former place to play? In theory, the fate of Six Flags is undecided.</p>
<h4>You Are Here: Abandoned Six Flags in New Orleans</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19803" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/abandonedNewOrleans6Flags2.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="452" /></p>
<h6>(image credits: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sophiagermer/4379470985/sizes/l/">Sophie Germer</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23222111@N05/4337933973/sizes/o/in/set-72157623380351060/"> malamutechaos</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brynnephotography/4106061660/"> Brynne Photography</a>,<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&amp;source=s_q&amp;hl=en&amp;geocode=&amp;q=six+flags+new+orleans&amp;sll=14.601033,120.97616&amp;sspn=0.230571,0.308647&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;hq=Six+Flags+New+Orleans&amp;hnear=Six+Flags+New+Orleans&amp;ll=30.052417,-89.935616&amp;spn=0.006445,0.009645&amp;t=h&amp;z=17"> Google Maps</a>)</h6>
<p>You are here, Six Flags New Orleans, a defunct amusement park. It closed in 2005 for the oncoming storm and never reopened. Four and a half years after Hurricane Katrina, Six Flags New Orleans is still abandoned. Six Flags officials claim the park was 70-80% damaged or destroyed. The defunct park is too expensive to rebuild and too expensive to abandon, so it sits and waits for decay to claim it. The park opened as Jazzland in 2000, but Six Flags bought this amusement park in 2002. Before Jazzland, the area was swamps. If no one steps up and does something, will the swamps reclaim the abandoned amusement park?</p>
<h4>Mardi Gras Character</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19804" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/mardigrasHauntedhouse.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="311" /></p>
<h6>(image credits: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brynnephotography/4106052882/">Brynne Photography</a>)</h6>
<p>The worn and weathered Mardi Gras character hanging over the roof of the haunted car ride seems menacing now. But New Orleans <em>is</em> the home and heart of the Mardi Gras. Before Six Flags was abandoned, it would have surely been a happy reminder to see this jester holding beads. Beads are a highly valued prize when one is lucky enough to catch those that are tossed into the parade crowd.</p>
<h4>Tickets Please</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19805" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/ticketsPlease.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="469" /></p>
<h6>(image credits: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/amadeleinew/2721608022/">Annie Wentzell</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/evenshift3/3619655996/"> EvenShift</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/liquorhead/4110716675/"> Liquorhead</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23222111@N05/4338006849/sizes/o/"> malamutechaos</a>)</h6>
<p>Tickets please&#8230;? Oh that&#8217;s right, the mannequin in the booth is as lifeless as the abandoned amusement park. On the city’s eastern edge, serving as a constant reminder to the people of New Orleans, the stark silhouette of Six Flags is like an unhealed wound. The big stuffed dog has dealt his last hand. The creepy clown has been beheaded and broken.</p>
<h4>Hungry?</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19806" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/hungry.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="312" /></p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19807" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/hungry2.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="351" /></p>
<h6>(image credits: <a href="http://riomcthorne.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/nanny.jpg">riomcthorne</a>,<a href="http://www.terrastories.com/bearings/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/abandoned-restaurant-theme.jpg">terrastories</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brynnephotography/4106059992/">Brynne Photography</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44980697@N08/4329681818/"> A. Baker</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44980697@N08/4347389603/"> A. Baker</a>)</h6>
<p>Hungry? There&#8217;s no scrumptious food to found in concession stands here. Instead, the walls, shelves, stoves, and glass food displays still show a scummy waterline where 4–7 feet of rainwater and sea water submerged the park for over a month when Katrina tried to swallow New Orleans whole. Six Flags tried to get out of the park, since it was going under even before the storm. Trying to get out of its contract and 75-year lease in 2006, they offered the city of New Orleans $10 million in cash and another 86 acres of land it owned in the area. The city refused on the basis of the amount being too small to repay a HUD loan or to clear the property.</p>
<h4>Stormy Stark Silhouette</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19814" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Silhouette.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="300" /></p>
<h6>(image credits: <a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1267/1240958884_f4f2df5963_b.jpg">static</a>)</h6>
<p>The amusement park suffered fatal damage. Six Flags collected only a portion before suing the insurance company for the remaining $175 million in coverage. At one point, Six Flags removed <em>Batman: The Ride</em> roller-coaster and other salvageable pieces. The city of New Orleans owned the land, yet Six Flags was pursuing legal action to keep the park closed. Six Flags filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June. The city fined Six Flags $3 million dollars and ordered them to vacate the lease. Nickelodeon was supposed to redevelop the park into a water and thrill ride theme park, but that fell through late last year. In December 2009, California-based Big League Dreams expressed interest in possibly turning the amusement park into a 50-acre sports complex. For this to occur, New Orleans would need to cough up about $25 million for the cost of construction, and then Big League Dreams would staff and maintain the complex for 30 years.</p>
<h4>Wooden Roller Coaster Mega Zeph</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19808" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/MegaZeph.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="444" /></p>
<h6>(image credits: <a href="http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=132491&amp;page=6">skyscraperpage</a>,<a href="http://blog.nola.com/tpmoney/2009/07southern_star_amusement_of_bat.html"> nola</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/evenshift3/3613141667/"> EvenShift///3</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/liquorhead/4111525560/"> Liquorhead</a>)</h6>
<p>Mega Zeph, a wooden hybrid roller coaster, first opened as Jazzland&#8217;s signature ride. It has been decaying, the wood rotting and the steel rusting. Riders would climb a 110-foot lift hill before plunging into the first drop. The delightful magic of riders&#8217; excited screams has not echoed through the abandoned park for over 4 years now. According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Flags_New_Orleans">wikipedia</a>, this park once operated these roller coasters: Zydeco Scream, The Jester, Mega Zeph, Muskrat Scrambler and The Road Runner Express which has since been moved to Six Flags Magic Mountain in California.</p>
<h4>Zydeco Scream</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19809" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/ZydecoScream.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="310" /></p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19810" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/ZydecoScream2.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="305" /></p>
<h6>(image credits: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brynnephotography/4105304265/">*brynne</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brynnephotography">Brynne Photography</a>)</h6>
<p>Most amusement parks feature a &#8220;boomerang&#8221; steel coaster, taking riders forward and flinging them backwards for the thrill of upside-down loops and drops. The Zydeco Scream at Six Flags sits silent, but had a history before coming to New Orleans. It began its life in 1990 at Parc de Montjuic in Barcelona, Spain, and was called Boomerang. In 2000, this roller coaster was moved to New Orleans and renamed Zydeco Scream. This is probably its final resting place, where it will most likely die for good and be remembered only as a ghost of good times.</p>
<h4>The Jester</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19811" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/jester.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="324" /></p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19812" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/thejester.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="307" /></p>
<h6>(image credits: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brynnephotography/4106091496/">*brynne,</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/47614279@N02/4381029380/">thesouthernsniper</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brynnephotography/4105278259/">Brynne Photography</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brynnephotography/4106045966/">*brynne</a>)</h6>
<p>Flooding from Hurricane Katrina peeled away the green paint from The Jester as if revealing Jester&#8217;s former life as the Joker&#8217;s Revenge. From 1996 through 2001, Joker&#8217;s Revenge operated at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. This roller coaster which took riders through a corkscrew backwards left many people complaining about the rough ride. Mechanical problems added to the dilemma, so the roller coaster was unused in 2002. In 2003, the coaster was painted a bright <a href="http://weburbanist.com/webecoist-animatedstyle=rel=nofollowonmouseover=self.status=webecoist" style=""  rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='http://weburbanist.com/webecoist-animatedstyle=rel=nofollowonmouseover=self.status=webecoist';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">green</a>, renamed The Jester, and moved to Six Flags New Orleans where it&#8217;s now a ruined wreck.</p>
<h4>Look Around at the Urban Decay</h4>
<p><img src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/abandoned.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="483" /></p>
<h6>(image credits: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brynnephotography/sets/72157622688948209/">Brynne Photography</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/epb/3336077850/"> Eric Paul</a>)</h6>
<p>From gifts shops to Gotham City, crumbled and decayed Six Flags New Orleans suffers from catastrophic damage. Dark, desolate, and dejected, this post-apocalyptic setting might be the perfect place to make a movie about zombies or some such horror/disaster film. Revamped or refurbished, is there a chance for Six Flags to end up as more than another defunct amusement park?</p>
<h4>Creepy Sad</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19813" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/creepysad.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="486" /></p>
<h6>(image credits: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/smwarnke4/sets/72157601109909812/">smwarnke4</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/liquorhead/4111426582/"> Liquorhead</a>)</h6>
<p>Way beyond the state of falling into disrepair, what was once cheerful is now cheerless and downright creepy. Although there has been some cleanup after Katrina ripped the amusement out of this park, it&#8217;s still left to be ravaged by the elements and unmaintained. The creepy clown, menacing jester, and other statues with once happy open mouths now seem to utter a silent yet never-ending scream. These dismayed busts have &#8220;seen&#8221; their home destroyed. The stuffed <a href="http://weburbanist.com/animals" style=""  rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='http://weburbanist.com/animals';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">animals</a> which should bring children of all ages great joy, now seem hopeless and an ever-present and depressing reminder of 4 1/2 years passing after abandonment.</p>
<h4>Monster&#8217;s Mouth &amp; Krewe of Kreeps Ride</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19815" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/monstersmouth.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="347" /></p>
<h6>(image credits: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brynnephotography/4105285327/">Brynne Photography</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brynnephotography/4106051614/"> Brynne Photography</a>)</h6>
<p>The Krewe of Kreeps ride was never supposed to be this creepy. The trains sit parked as if awaiting phantom riders, but the tracks are a rusted wreck. According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Flags_New_Orleans">wikipedia</a>, flat rides at Six Flags New Orleans that are still standing but not operating include: Catwoman&#8217;s Whip, Dizzy Lizzy, Krazy Krewe, Gator Bait, Lex Luthor&#8217;s Invertatron, Mad Rex, Zydeco Zinger, Joker&#8217;s Jukebox, Lafitte&#8217;s Pirate Ship, The Big Easy, Jocco&#8217;s Mardi Gras Madness, and Mardi Gras Menagerie.</p>
<h4>Death At Every Turn</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19816" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/death_mardigras.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="338" /></p>
<h6>(image credits: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23222111@N05/4338671/">malamutechaos</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brynnephotography/4105321083/"> Brynne Photography</a>)</h6>
<p>Now it appears as if death is awaiting urban explorers at every turn. The Mardi Gras skeleton seems an ominous omen for those who venture out of curiosity into this abandoned amusement park. A piano hangs outside a building as the supports weather and rot as if waiting to claim another victim and add another ghost to roam New Orleans.</p>
<h4>Forlorn, Forgotten, Battered</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19817" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/forlorn.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="351" /></p>
<h6>(image credits: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/smwarnke4/2310755317/">smwarnke4</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brynnephotography/4105323663/">Brynne Photography</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23222111@N05/4338676000/"> malamutechaos</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/smwarnke4/2311564154/">smwarnke4</a>)</h6>
<p>The statues and busts appear beyond sad into miserable. With mud and mildew on his face, the man seems morose and forlorn. With chipped faces and bodies overturned, the southern belles are a gloomy reminder that Six Flags will probably never regain the glory and good times it once claimed. Even the lonely mermaid and merman seem melancholy.</p>
<h4>Rides Are Rotting</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19818" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/ridesRrotting.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="484" /></p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19823" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/DEADRIDE.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="310" /></p>
<h6>(image credits: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/evenshift3/3613964842/">EvenShift</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23222111@N05/4338686600/"> malamutechaos</a>,<a href="http://www.doobybrain.com/2008/11/03/six-flags-new-orleans-3-years-after-hurricane-katrina/"> Doobybrain</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brynnephotography/4106065934/"> Brynne Photography</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23222111@N05/4338011333/sizes/l/"> malamutechaos</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brynnephotography/4106073006/"> Brynne Photography</a>)</h6>
<p>The bumper cars went from bumpless to rusted-out bummer. Here are more dead rides on our tour of Six Flags New Orleans, clearly showing that the abandoned amusement park is going to hell in a giant 140-acre hand-basket. Even the former water rides Ozarka Splash and Spillway Splashout did not pass unscathed by Katrina&#8217;s wrath.</p>
<h4>Main Street</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19820" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/MainStreet.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="311" /></p>
<h6>(image credits: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/liquorhead/4110750235/">Liquorhead</a>)</h6>
<p>The eerie silence at Six Flags is beyond unnatural for an amusement park. Left abandoned, Main Street is as deserted as a ghost town. Destroyed by a horrific hurricane and flood waters years ago, the rides rust, the attractions rot, and the buildings crumble.</p>
<h4>In Shambles</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19821" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/shambles.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="443" /></p>
<h6>(image credits: <a href="http://www.ilxor.com/ILX/ThreadSelectedControllerServlet?boardid=40&amp;threadid=72081">ilxor</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/liquorhead/4111471754/"> Liquorhead</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23222111@N05/4338749876/"> malamutechaos</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brynnephotography/4105295393/"> *brynne </a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/liquorhead/4111517860/"> Liquorhead</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/liquorhead/4110737133/"> Liquorhead</a>)</h6>
<p>Urban explorers first have to find a way into this forsaken park and then they risk their necks out of curiosity. In one <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/amadeleinew/2721608022/">case</a>, after sneaking in and then back out, some of the explorers were handcuffed by the waiting cops and the film was destroyed. In other cases, the explorers are simply told to vacate the premises. Is it the park or city officials, or both, who don&#8217;t want the water-damage and despondent decay documented as photographed proof and becoming public knowledge? Or is it simply too dangerous, too painful, after all the hardships and tragedies the people of New Orleans have had to endure?</p>
<h4>Fade to Black&#8230;Darkness</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19822" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/fade2black.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="468" /></p>
<h6>(image credits: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brynnephotography/4106085006/">Brynne Photography</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brynnephotography/4105318355/"> Brynne Photography</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brynnephotography/4106088810/"> Brynne Photography</a>,<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brynnephotography/4105324451/"> Brynne Photography</a>)</h6>
<p>The Big Easy Ferris Wheel paints a pretty picture against the sunset. Darkness falls, but the curtains closed years ago on the final show at the abandoned amusement park. It&#8217;s sad yet intriguing, pulling at the curious who want to see inside the park, pulling at our hearts for the people of New Orleans who still need our help. Thank you, urban explorers, for finding the courage to go inside. Thank you for bringing us these photographs so we could share your adventures at abandoned Six Flags New Orleans.</p>



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  					<span style="">Think death and derelict nightmare or think urban explorers’ dream. Here's an ode to abandoned Hellingly Mental Asylum with 33 photos. R.I.P. It's being demolished.</span>
  					<a style="width:332px;" href="http://weburbanist.com/2010/03/10/abandoned-mental-asylum-hellingly-rip-33-creepy-photo-tribute/" title="Abandoned Mental Asylum Hellingly, RIP, 33 Creepy Photo Tribute">3 Comments - Click Here to Read More &raquo;&raquo;</a>
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	<thumbnail>http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/6flagsthumb.jpg</thumbnail>
<des>The atmosphere in an abandoned amusement park gives off a nightmarish vibe. With 69 uber-creepy urban exploration photos, we tour abandoned Six Flags New Orleans.</des>
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		<title>Suspending Belief: 10 Span-tastic Bridges</title>
		<link>http://weburbanist.com/2010/03/07/suspending-belief-10-span-tastic-bridges/</link>
		<comments>http://weburbanist.com/2010/03/07/suspending-belief-10-span-tastic-bridges/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 07 Mar 2010 18:48:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Steve</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Architecture & Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel & Places]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Urbanism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bridges]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://weburbanist.com/?p=19599</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Bridges might not get the respect the world's tallest skyscrapers get but these horizontal wonders push the engineering envelope just as hard. From the Brooklyn Bridge to "Galloping Gertie" and beyond, these 10 span-tastic bridges prove the journey is often more interesting than the destination.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19601" title="Amazing-Bridges_main" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Amazing-Bridges_main.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="490" /><br />
Bridges might not get the respect the world&#8217;s tallest skyscrapers get but these horizontal <a href="http://weburbanist.com/2007/11/07/7-engineering-wonders-of-the-modern-world-bridges-dams-and-more/">architectural wonders</a> push the engineering envelope just as hard. From &#8220;Galloping Gertie&#8221; to the Golden Gate, these 10 span-tastic <a href="http://weburbanist.com/2009/08/24/the-68-most-bizarre-and-perilous-bridges/">bridges</a> prove the journey is often more interesting than the destination.</p>
<p><span id="more-19599"></span><br />
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19603" title="whiteblock" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/whiteblock.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="25" /></p>
<h4>Brooklyn Bridge, New York, USA</h4>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19616" title="Amazing-Bridges_2a" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Amazing-Bridges_2a.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="625" /></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19617" title="Amazing-Bridges_2b" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Amazing-Bridges_2b.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="351" /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(images via: <a href="http://momeld.wordpress.com/2008/05/22/happy-birthday/">Momeld</a>, <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/03/30/2009-03-30_brooklyn_bridge_to_get_facelift_thanks_t.html">NY Daily News</a> and <a href="http://www.wallpaperhd.net/v/arch/Celebration_+Brooklyn+Bridge_+New+York+City.jpg.html">Wallpaper HD</a>)</span></p>
<p>No worthy discussion of amazing bridges can ignore the grand-daddy of them all, New York&#8217;s <a href="http://americatraveldestinations.com/">Brooklyn Bridge</a>. The 5,989 ft (1825 m) structure took 13 years to build, opening to great fanfare in 1883. For 20 years it reigned as the longest suspension bridge in the world.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19618" title="Amazing-Bridges_2x" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Amazing-Bridges_2x.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="304" /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(image via: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Currier_and_Ives_Brooklyn_Bridge2.jpg">Currier &amp; Ives via Wikipedia</a>)</span></p>
<p>The Brooklyn Bridge was designed to be 6 times stronger than it needed to be. Even so, the public had doubts as to the viability of the bridge. Just one week after it opened for vehicular and pedestrian traffic, a rumor spread that the bridge was about to collapse: the resulting stampede caused 12 deaths. On May 17th, 1884, famous showman and circus owner P.T. Barnum put the rumors to rest once and for all by leading a procession of 21 elephants across the bridge.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19604" title="whiteblock" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/whiteblock1.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="25" /></p>
<h4>Tacoma Narrows Bridge, Washington, USA</h4>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19619" title="Amazing-Bridges_1a1" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Amazing-Bridges_1a1.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="625" /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(images via: <a href="http://www.lib.washington.edu/specialcoll/exhibits/tnb/">UW Library</a> and <a href="http://www.somethingshinydisorder.com/category/travel/washington/">Something Shiny Disorder</a>)</span></p>
<p>Today&#8217;s big bridges are engineered with aeronautical principles in mind &#8211; if you think about it, the long deck of a bridge looks somewhat like a wing and in certain conditions acts like one too! That&#8217;s today; yesterday is another story best told by the first <a href="http://www.lib.washington.edu/specialcoll/exhibits/tnb/">Tacoma Narrows Bridge</a>. Opened on July 1st, 1940, the mile-long suspension bridge quickly garnered the name &#8220;Galloping gertie&#8221; due to the way the bridge deck oscillated in windy weather.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19620" title="Amazing-Bridges_1a2" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Amazing-Bridges_1a2.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="333" /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(image via: <a href="http://www.lib.washington.edu/specialcoll/exhibits/tnb/">UW Library</a>)</span></p>
<p>On November 7th, just over 4 months from its opening, winds of 42 mph (67 kph) affected the bridge to such a degree that two <a href="http://weburbanist.com/transportation" style=""  rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='http://weburbanist.com/transportation';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">cars</a> in the midst of crossing were abandoned. Shortly afterward, Galloping Gertie shook herself to pieces and in the process, shook up the way future suspension bridges were designed and constructed.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19621" title="Amazing-Bridges_1b" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Amazing-Bridges_1b.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="453" /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(image via: <a href="http://www.robertawagner.com/photoPages/tacomaNarrowsBridge.html">Roberta Wagner</a>)</span></p>
<p>The Tacoma Narrows Bridge was rebuilt in 1950 and the original span was doubled with the completion of a nearly identical structure in 2007 &#8211; one serves eastbound traffic, the other westbound. Though the areas winds have remained constant, both bridges have held up well.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19605" title="whiteblock" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/whiteblock2.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="25" /></p>
<h4>Ponte Octavio Frias de Oliveira, São Paulo, Brazil</h4>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19622" title="Amazing-Bridges_3a" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Amazing-Bridges_3a.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="472" /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(image via: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octavio_Frias_de_Oliveira_bridge">Wikipedia</a>)</span></p>
<p>A stunning sight for the eyes, especially when lit up at night, the Ponte Octavio Frias de Oliveira in São Paulo, Brazil is the world&#8217;s first x-shaped cable stayed bridge with two crossed lanes. The 5,200 ft (1,600 m) bridge spans the Pinheiros River and was opened in May of 2008. The design of the <a href="http://paulooliveira.wordpress.com/2008/07/07/ponte-estaiada-octavio-frias-de-oliveira/">Octavio Frias de Oliveira</a> uses a single concrete mast 450 ft (138 m) tall to support two curved decks that cross at the bridge&#8217;s midpoint.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19623" title="Amazing-Bridges_3c" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Amazing-Bridges_3c.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="493" /></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19624" title="Amazing-Bridges_3b" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Amazing-Bridges_3b.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="625" /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(images via: <a href="http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=412154">Skyscraper City</a>)</span></p>
<p>Each December, LED lights are set up on the bridge&#8217;s cables and a computer program is used to create a wide variety of colors and patterns. One might think the massive light show would be distracting to drivers but like most modern wonders, familiarity lessens the impact.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19606" title="whiteblock" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/whiteblock3.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="25" /></p>
<h4>Rainbow Bridge, Tokyo, Japan</h4>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19625" title="Amazing-Bridges_4a" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Amazing-Bridges_4a.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="567" /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(images via: <a href="http://irenefranseda.blogspot.com/2009/11/day-15-tokyo-tsukiji-market-odaiba-and.html">Irene Franseda</a> and <a href="http://www.japanirelandtravel.ie/self-guided-tours">Japan-Ireland Travel</a>)</span></p>
<p>Standing out from Tokyo&#8217;s brilliant nighttime neon glow isn&#8217;t easy but the Rainbow Bridge accomplishes it with ease. Spanning Tokyo Bay from the Shibaura Pier to Odaiba, the 1,903 ft (580 m) suspension bridge was completed in 1993 and its name was chosen by the public. Oh, the Statue of Liberty? Not to worry, it&#8217;s just a replica!</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19626" title="Amazing-Bridges_4b" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Amazing-Bridges_4b.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="612" /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(image via: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuhicks46/3256046309/">Stu Hicks</a>)</span></p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.japanirelandtravel.ie/self-guided-tours">Rainbow Bridge</a>&#8217;s towers look white in daylight &#8211; the better to blend in with Tokyo&#8217;s dizzying skyline. When the sun goes down, however, a lighting system on the bridge switches on and bathes the bridge in rainbow colors. Wasteful? Not at all: the system is powered by solar energy absorbed during daylight hours.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19607" title="whiteblock" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/whiteblock4.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="25" /></p>
<h4>Beipanjiang River Railroad Bridge, Guizhou, China</h4>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19627" title="Amazing-Bridges_5a" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Amazing-Bridges_5a.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="555" /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(images via: <a href="http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_4b22d1df010009dc.html">SINA</a> and <a href="http://www.wayfaring.info/2009/06/01/spectacular-bridges/">Wayfaring</a>)</span></p>
<p>The Beipanjiang River Railroad Bridge in Guizhou, China, ranks with the world&#8217;s longest arch bridges but stands out due to its spectacular scenic beauty. The bridge, which opened in 2001, connects two mountains over a gorge 918 ft (280 m) deep. The bridge is a vital part of the Guizhou-Shuibai Railway Project and since completion, has boosted commercial activity and incomes in what has historically been one of China&#8217;s poorest regions.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19608" title="whiteblock" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/whiteblock5.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="25" /></p>
<h4>Gateshead Millennium Bridge, Newcastle, UK</h4>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19628" title="Amazing-Bridges_6a" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Amazing-Bridges_6a.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="675" /></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19629" title="Amazing-Bridges_6b" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Amazing-Bridges_6b.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="468" /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(images via: <a href="http://dvice.com/archives/2008/04/gateshead_mille.php">Dvice</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauliewoll/1080110446/">Paulie Woll</a> and <a href="http://www.bugbog.com/gallery/england_pictures/newcastle-england.html">Bugbog</a>)</span></p>
<p>The <a href="http://dvice.com/archives/2008/04/gateshead_mille.php">Gateshead Millennium Bridge</a> is often called the &#8220;Blinking Eye Bridge&#8221; due to its unusual method of operation. Located in Newcastle, the bridge serves pedestrian and non-motorized traffic moving from the  tilt bridge spanning the River Tyne in England between Quays arts quarter to the south and the Quayside of Newcastle-upon-Tyne to the north. This beautiful &#8220;tilt bridge&#8221; was officially opened in May of 2002 and is 410 ft (126 m) long. Due to its smallish size and method of operation, the entire structure was set in place in one piece by a massive Asian Hercules II floating crane.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19609" title="whiteblock" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/whiteblock6.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="25" /><br />
Here&#8217;s a short (13 seconds) video that shows the Gateshead Millennium Bridge in action:</p>
<p><a href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q54VKT_mZfI' >Gateshead Millennium Bridge, via da8iwr</a></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19610" title="whiteblock" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/whiteblock7.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="25" /></p>
<h4>Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge, Brasilia, Brazil</h4>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19631" title="Amazing-Bridges_7a" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Amazing-Bridges_7a.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="533" /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(image via: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/guilhermekardel/2340189881/sizes/o/">Guilherme Kardel</a>)</span></p>
<p>The Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge displays an appealing, modernistic design that complements that of Brazil&#8217;s master-planned capital, Brasilia. The bridge is considered to be an Asymmetric Arch Bridge with Suspended Deck, and it spans Lake Paranoá with a total length of 3,900 ft (1,200 m).</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19632" title="Amazing-Bridges_7b" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Amazing-Bridges_7b.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="335" /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(image via: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/miguel-netto/2289850716/sizes/o/">Miguel Netto</a>)</span></p>
<p>The bridge was designed by Alexandre Chan (architect) and Mário Vila Verde (), and is named to commemorate former president Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira. It was Kubitschek&#8217;s vision of a city of the future that sparked the creation of <a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Brasília">Brasilia</a>, Brazil&#8217;s capital city, in the late 1950s. The Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge features three asymmetrical steel arches, each 200 ft (61 m) tall. Diagonal steel cables interlace to support the bridge, which is fully accessible to pedestrians, cyclists and skaters.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19611" title="whiteblock" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/whiteblock8.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="25" /></p>
<h4>Alamillo Bridge, Seville, Spain</h4>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19633" title="Amazing-Bridges_8" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Amazing-Bridges_8.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="625" /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(images via: <a href="http://www.bing.com/travel/content/search?q=Breathtaking+Bridges%3A+Puente+de+Alamillo%2C+Spain">Bing</a>, <a href="http://www.photographersdirect.com/buyers/stockphoto.asp?imageid=1749506">Photographers Direct</a> and <a href="http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/sb10067089b-001/The-Image-Bank">Getty Images</a>)</span></p>
<p>Built for practical and aesthetic reasons for Expo 92, the &#8220;Puente del Alamillo&#8221; is a strikingly beautiful cantilever spar cable-stayed bridge that only has one pylon. Resembling in many ways a gigantic sundial, the bridge&#8217;s main pylon soars 465 ft (142 m) into the sky while supporting the 656 ft (200 m) long roadway with 13 pairs of cables.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19634" title="Amazing-Bridges_8a" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Amazing-Bridges_8a.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="620" /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(images via: <a href="http://bridgeworld.net/asce-2006-bridges-calendar/">Bridgeworld</a> and <a href="http://photo.xinzhou.org/2008/1015/picture_891_27.html">Xinzhou</a>)</span></p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.galinsky.com/buildings/alamillo/">Alamillo Bridge</a> provides a vital transport link across the Guadalquivir River from the Spanish city of Seville to La Cartuja island, where Expo 92 was held. Since then, the bridge has become a landmark visible from most points in Seville and has come to symbolize the city&#8217;s promising future.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19612" title="whiteblock" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/whiteblock9.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="25" /></p>
<h4>Hangzhou Bay Bridge, Shanghai, China</h4>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19635" title="Amazing-Bridges_9a" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Amazing-Bridges_9a.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="583" /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(images via: <a href="http://capetown.china-consulate.org/eng/xwdt/t412866.htm">Capetown China Consulate</a> and <a href="http://news.chinaassistor.com/2008/0321/World_Sea_Bridge_Spotlight_hangzhou_bay_7786.html">China Assistor</a>)</span></p>
<p>At 22 miles (35.673 km) in length, the Hangzhou Bay Bridge is the the longest ocean-crossing bridge in the world. The bridge, which opened for public use in May of 2007, reduces travel times from the Yangtse River Delta area around Shanghai to the port city of Ningbo from 4 hours to a mere 2.5 hours.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19636" title="Amazing-Bridges_9b" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Amazing-Bridges_9b.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="602" /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(images via: <a href="http://www.worldinterestingfacts.com/infrastructure/top-10-most-amazing-bridges-in-the-world.html">World Interesting Facts</a>)</span></p>
<p>Some facets of the <a href="http://news.chinaassistor.com/2008/0321/World_Sea_Bridge_Spotlight_hangzhou_bay_7786.html">Hangzhou Bay Bridge</a> are still under construction, most notably a 107,650 sq ft (10,000 sq m) service center which will occupy an artificial <a href="http://weburbanist.com/privateislands" style=""  rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='http://weburbanist.com/privateislands';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">island</a> built at the bridge&#8217;s midpoint. In order to avoid obstructing ocean currents, the island will be built on a platform resting on piers that will in turn rest on bedrock at the bottom of Hangzhou Bay.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19613" title="whiteblock" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/whiteblock10.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="25" /></p>
<h4>Millau Viaduct, Millau, France</h4>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19637" title="Amazing-Bridges_10b" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Amazing-Bridges_10b.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="495" /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(images via: <a href="http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Millau_Viaduct.html">Great Buildings</a>)</span></p>
<p>The Millau Viaduct (&#8220;le Viaduc de Millau&#8221;, in French) is not a sight those prone to vertigo or gephyrophobia (fear of bridges) will easily take in. The bridge, designed by Norman Foster (architect) and Michel Virlogeux (structural engineer), spans the River Tarn valley near the medieval town of Millau in southern France. The designers specially incorporated a sweeping curve into the layout of the bridge so that drivers crossing it would get a good view of the picture-postcard perfect town.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19638" title="Amazing-Bridges_10a" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Amazing-Bridges_10a.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="412" /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(image via: <a href="http://www.kera.org/artandseek/content/2009/09/29/fostering-greatness-the-nasher-displays-the-designs-of-foster-partners/">Kera</a>)</span></p>
<p>At 1,125 ft (343 m) from its base to the tip of its tallest mast, the <a href="http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Millau_Viaduct.html">Millau Viaduct</a> ranks as the world&#8217;s tallest vehicular bridge. To put that into perspective, the bridge is just a few feet taller than the Eiffel Tower and is only 121 ft (37 m) shorter than New York&#8217;s Empire State Building. Drivers plying the route from Paris to Montpellier will cross the Millau Viaduct, which cost a whopping 400 million euros and which opened on December 14th, 2004.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19614" title="whiteblock" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/whiteblock11.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="25" /><br />
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-19639" title="Amazing-Bridges_EP" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Amazing-Bridges_EP.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="333" /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(image via: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/patrick-smith-photography/2827838485/">Patrick Smith Photography</a>)</span></p>
<p>Bridges &#8211; before the Internet they were the best ways for people to make connections. Judging from these 10 amazing examples, they&#8217;ll likely retain that important function today, tomorrow and for countless years to come.</p>



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	<thumbnail>http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Amazing-Bridges_thumb.jpg</thumbnail>
<des>Spanning the globe with concrete and steel, these 10 span-tastic bridges prove the journey is often more interesting than the destination.</des>
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		<title>‘Clean City’: São Paulo Scrubbed of Outdoor Ads</title>
		<link>http://weburbanist.com/2010/03/06/clean-city-sao-paulo-scrubbed-of-outdoor-ads/</link>
		<comments>http://weburbanist.com/2010/03/06/clean-city-sao-paulo-scrubbed-of-outdoor-ads/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 06 Mar 2010 18:00:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Steph</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Architecture & Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel & Places]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Urban Images]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[billboards]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://weburbanist.com/?p=19529</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
(images via: tony demarco)
Outdoor advertising is so ubiquitous in almost every urban setting around the world, it’s difficult to walk down a street, take an escalator or sit on a bench without getting slapped in the face with one product or another. But the city of São Paulo, Brazil is like an advertising ghost town: [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19530" title="sao-paulo-tonydemarco" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/sao-paulo-tonydemarco-e1267844780715.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="351" /></p>
<h6>(images via: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonydemarco/sets/72157600075508212/detail/">tony demarco</a>)</h6>
<p>Outdoor advertising is so ubiquitous in almost every urban setting around the world, it’s difficult to <a href="http://weburbanist.com/2010/02/01/word-on-the-street-14-fun-urban-street-ads/">walk down a street</a>, <a href="http://weburbanist.com/2010/01/25/stupendous-steps-15-great-escalator-stair-ads/">take an escalator</a> or <a href="http://weburbanist.com/2010/01/18/more-than-fit-to-sit-15-clever-bench-ads/">sit on a bench</a> without getting slapped in the face with one product or another. But the city of São Paulo, Brazil is like an advertising ghost town: all of its billboards stand oddly blank and empty.<br />
<span id="more-19529"></span><br />
<object width="468" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vta6Cn_dLTE&hl=en&fs=1&autoplay=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vta6Cn_dLTE&hl=en&fs=1&autoplay=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="468" height="340"></embed></object>	</p>
<p>In September of 2007, the world’s fourth-largest metropolis <a href="https://www.adbusters.org/magazine/73/Sao_Paulo_A_City_Without_Ads.html ">was scrubbed of almost every type of outdoor advertising</a> – even pamphlets. It’s all part of mayor Gilberto Kassab’s quest to eliminate visual clutter, making the city itself the focal point rather than colorful, increasingly desperate marketing campaigns.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19531" title="sao-paulo-eduardoz" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/sao-paulo-eduardoz.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="400" /></p>
<h6>(images via: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/eduardozarate/sets/72157619699085473/">eduardoZ</a>)</h6>
<p>&#8220;The Clean City Law came from a necessity to combat pollution . . . pollution of water, sound, air, and the visual. We decided that we should start combating pollution with the most conspicuous sector – visual pollution,” said Kassab.</p>
<p>The results are astounding: gone are the 50-foot lingerie ads and oversized neon signs a la Times Square. In their place are strange vacancies, gaping holes… space. Suddenly, the architecture and <a href="http://weburbanist.com/phenomena" style=""  rel="nofollow" onmouseover="self.status='http://weburbanist.com/phenomena';return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''">natural</a> scenery come into sharp focus.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19532" title="sao-paulo-katedubya" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/sao-paulo-katedubya.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="339" /></p>
<h6>(image via:<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/websterkate/3048736347/"> katedubya</a>)</h6>
<p>While advertisers weren’t too happy about the law &#8211; $8 million in fines were levied against those who dawdled in taking ads down, and Clear Channel launched an unsuccessful campaign to raise support for putting them back up – the citizens clearly approve. Surveys found that at least 70% are happy with the change.</p>



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	<thumbnail>http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/sao-paulo-thumb.jpg</thumbnail>
<des>What does a city wiped clean of all advertising look like? Like São Paulo, Brazil, which removed all billboards and other ads from every public surface in 2007.</des>
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		<title>Underwater Archeology: Diving 800 Feet Below an Ancient Cathedral</title>
		<link>http://weburbanist.com/2010/02/19/underwater-archeology-diving-800-feet-below-an-ancient-cathedral/</link>
		<comments>http://weburbanist.com/2010/02/19/underwater-archeology-diving-800-feet-below-an-ancient-cathedral/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 19 Feb 2010 18:00:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Delana</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Architecture & Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[History & Factoids]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://weburbanist.com/?p=19156</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
One of the oldest and largest cathedrals in the world hid a fantastic secret for centuries, one that was often rumored but not confirmed. The vast, splendid Hagia Sophia, which is now a museum, sits atop an ancient series of underground tunnels said to connect the cathedral with the Basilica Cistern, Princes&#8217; Islands and Topkapi [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19157" title="hagia-sophia" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/hagia-sophia.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="358" /></p>
<p>One of the oldest and largest cathedrals in the world hid a fantastic secret for centuries, one that was often rumored but not confirmed. The vast, splendid <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagia_Sophia">Hagia Sophia</a>, which is now a museum, sits atop an ancient series of underground tunnels said to connect the cathedral with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_Cistern">Basilica Cistern</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princes%27_Islands">Princes&#8217; Islands</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topkap%C4%B1_Palace">Topkapi Palace</a>. Director Göksel Gülensoy has enjoyed a long-standing love of the Hagia Sophia, and he decided to embark on a scuba diving expedition under the building to unlock some of her ancient secrets.</p>
<p><span id="more-19156"></span></p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19158" title="hagia-sophia-interior" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/hagia-sophia-interior.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="337" /></p>
<p>Gülensoy <a href="http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=diving-into-the-secrets-of-hagia-sophia-2009-08-04">began his documentary project in 1998</a>, but budget concerns and Turkish government red tape delayed its completion until late 2009. His 50-minute film, &#8220;In the Depths of Hagia Sophia&#8221; (or “Ayasofya’n?n Derinliklerinde”) shows a side of the historic structure that has never before been explored in depth, let alone filmed. Along with two divers and four spelunkers, the director delved into the mysterious depths to see what, exactly, Hagia Sophia was hiding.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19160" title="hagia-sophia-diver" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/hagia-sophia-diver.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="621" /></p>
<p>The team began by opening the reservoir doors in the main hall; the two doors had both been shut for quite some time, and never before had a diver been allowed into the reservoir. After studying the small first chamber, the team moved on to the larger second reservoir. There they found flasks thought to have been left behind by British soldiers in 1917, a chain which may have contained a prisoner at one time, and various other bits and pieces of the cathedral. The spelunkers then took over and moved into the two passageways beneath the Hagia Sophia.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19161" title="diving-beneath-hagia-sophia-team" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/diving-beneath-hagia-sophia-team.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="354" /></p>
<p>Beneath the huge cathedral, the team found sealed passages, a graveyard full of children&#8217;s bones, and the burial chamber of Hagia Sophia&#8217;s first priest. Threats of gas leaks, landslides and collapses weighed heavily on everyone&#8217;s minds, but the entire team emerged safely. For their own peace of mind, and to head off any rumors that might arise in the future, every person who dove beneath Hagia Sophia that day underwent a full-body X-ray to prove that no artifacts had been removed from the site.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19159" title="in-the-depths-of-hagia-sophia" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/in-the-depths-of-hagia-sophia.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="622" /></p>
<p>After the project, it became clear that Gülensoy and his team had disproven many of the myths surrounding the ancient cathedral. The passages long thought to lead to the Basilica Cistern and Princes&#8217; Islands were <a href="http://www.alaturka.info/en/marmara/culture-history/secrets-of-hagia-sophia.html">found to be nonexistent</a>. However, the exploration led Turkish officials and the Hagia Sophia Museum Director to believe that further research should be carried out to see what other mysteries may be hiding beneath this beloved building. If he can gain the necessary government permissions, Gülensoy plans to return to make another film about the hidden history of Hagia Sophia.</p>



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	<thumbnail>http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/mysterious-hagia-sophia.jpg</thumbnail>
<des>After hearing about the fabled secret passages beneath one of the oldest cathedrals in the world, one director set out to get answers for himself and the world.</des>
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		<title>Arctic Vacation &amp; the Artist Suites of the Icehotel</title>
		<link>http://weburbanist.com/2010/02/17/arctic-vacation-the-artist-suites-of-the-icehotel/</link>
		<comments>http://weburbanist.com/2010/02/17/arctic-vacation-the-artist-suites-of-the-icehotel/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:00:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Angie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Architecture & Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Furniture & Interiors]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[artist suites]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://weburbanist.com/?p=19045</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Many people choose to vacation on white sandy beaches and under hot tropical sunshine. Some people choose cold weather vacations for skiing. For something really different, a person might try a visit to a hotel built of ice and snow in a land of Northern Lights and the Midnight Sun. The ICEHOTEL is located 124 [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19136" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/icemontage.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="400" /></p>
<p>Many people choose to vacation on white sandy beaches and under hot tropical sunshine. Some people choose cold weather vacations for skiing. For something really different, a person might try a visit to a hotel built of ice and snow in a land of Northern Lights and the Midnight Sun. The ICEHOTEL is located 124 miles north of the Arctic Circle in the small village Jukkasjärvi that has only 1,000 inhabitants. There are 32 artist suites created, so you can choose to stay, to snuggle with your significant other, within the ICEHOTEL. Here is a look at some of those artists and artistic suites for a vacation unlike any other.</p>
<p><span id="more-19045"></span></p>
<h4>Ice Hotel</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19058" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/ICEHOTEL_entre_big_ben.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="549" /></p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19062" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/ibi_oslo_2.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="301" /></p>
<h6>(image credit:<a href="http://www.icehotel.com/uk/ICEHOTEL/Art-design/2009/Ice-church/">PHOTO: Ben Nilsson/Big Ben Productions</a>)</h6>
<p>The ICEHOTEL never stands still, shifting from frozen solid to a free flowing river, and back, during a year. It begins as crystal clear ice harvested from the Torne River in March. Artists carve these 2 ton ice blocks into sculptures and a hotel. Created with imagination and hard work, the art is temporary, only to melt away under the unforgiving rays of the sun come springtime.</p>
<h4>Ice Hotel&#8217;s Serving Cups &amp; Projection Room</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19065" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/onrocks_projectionroom.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="348" /></p>
<h6>(image credit:<a href="http://www.icehotel.com/uk/ICEHOTEL/Art-design/2009/Ice-church/">PHOTO: Ben Nilsson/Big Ben Productions</a>)</h6>
<p>There are 32 different artist suites to choose from within the unique ICEHOTEL. There is also a famous Icebar as well as several other specific rooms like the projection room on the right. On the left are the famous &#8220;glasses&#8221; made from ice to hold the drinks served at the Icebar.</p>
<h4>Ice Church</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19057" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/icechurch.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="599" /></p>
<h6>(image credit:<a href="http://www.icehotel.com/uk/ICEHOTEL/Art-design/2009/Ice-church/">PHOTO: Ben Nilsson/Big Ben Productions. ARTIST:  Linnea Borealis</a>)</h6>
<p>Artists from all over the world gather in this small Swedish village north of the Arctic Circle to create an exclusive art exhibition: ICEHOTEL. This is the Ice Church. Couples marry here. The Netherlands artists responsible for the Ice Church are Marjolein Vonk, Cindy Berg, Marinus Vroom, Jan Willem van der Shoot, and Maarten Meijer.</p>
<h4>Get Bad Suite</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19054" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/BigBen_327_02L9309.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="308" /></p>
<h6>(image credit:<a href="http://www.icehotel.com/uk/ICEHOTEL/Art-design/2009/Get-Bad/">PHOTO: Ben Nilsson/Big Ben Productions. ARTIST: Benny Ekman</a>)</h6>
<p>This art suite is called &#8220;Get Bad.&#8221; It is only one of many suites and is described as, &#8220;Sneak a peek into this enticing, magical spa, where relaxed bathers enjoy the fruits of each other&#8217;s company.&#8221; It was created by Benny Ekman of Sweden. “Get Bad” is his fourth ICEHOTEL suite.</p>
<h4>Iceplosion Suite</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19055" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/BigBen_325_02L9698.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="308" /></p>
<h6>(image credit:<a href="http://www.icehotel.com/uk/ICEHOTEL/Art-design/2009/Iceplosion/">PHOTO: Ben Nilsson/Big Ben Productions. ARTISTS: Rashid Sagadeev &amp; Charly Walter</a>)</h6>
<p>The radiant glow of “Iceplosion” will protect you from the biting arctic cold &#8211; bathe yourself and recharge in this rejuvenating shower of warmth and light. Sunglasses are highly recommended. The artists responsible are Rashid Sagadeev of Russia and Charly Walter of Austria. “Iceplosion” is Rashid’s fifth ICEHOTEL suite, Charley’s second.</p>
<h4>Ho-Shi To Tsu-Ki Suite</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19048" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/BigBen_301_02L6875.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="310" /></p>
<h6>(image credit:<a href="http://www.icehotel.com/uk/ICEHOTEL/Art-design/2009/Ho-Shi-to-Tsu-ki/">PHOTO: Ben Nilsson/Big Ben Productions. ARTIST: Sakai Hiroyoshi</a>)</h6>
<p>Leave the Earth behind and ascend into &#8220;Ho-Shi To Tsu-Ki,&#8221; a suite that pays humble tribute to the splendor of the stars and the majesty of the moon. This is the seventh ICEHOTEL suite created by Hiroyoshi Sakai of Japan.</p>
<h4>Dynamic Shelter Suite</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19049" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/BigBen_303_02L9958.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="310" /></p>
<h6>(image credit:<a href="http://www.icehotel.com/uk/ICEHOTEL/Art-design/2009/Dynamic-Shelter/">PHOTO: Ben Nilsson/Big Ben Productions. ARTISTS: Javier Opazo &amp; José Vazquez Toro</a>)</h6>
<p>Inhale as you experience the expansive nature of &#8220;Dynamic Shelter&#8221; and exhale as the focus of the room narrows and draws you to a bed of clarity and warmth. This is the first ICEHOTEL suite for both Chilean artists Javier Opazo and José Vázquez Toro.</p>
<h4>Memories of Paradise Suite</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19050" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/BigBen_305a_02L4770.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="311" /></p>
<h6>(image credit:<a href="http://www.icehotel.com/uk/ICEHOTEL/Art-design/2009/Memories-of-Paradise/">PHOTO: Ben Nilsson/Big Ben Productions. ARTISTS: Natalia Chistyakova &amp; Karlis Ile</a>)</h6>
<p>Experience a chilly version of one of mankind&#8217;s most celebrated themes in &#8220;Memories of Paradise,&#8221; where the ice apples are plenty and ripe for the picking. &#8220;Memories of Paradise&#8221; is the first ICEHOTEL suite for both artists, Natalia Chistyakova  of Russian and Karlis Ile of Latvia.</p>
<h4>Peeled Suite</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19051" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/BigBen_306_02L6400.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="310" /></p>
<h6>(image credit:<a href="http://www.icehotel.com/uk/ICEHOTEL/Art-design/2009/Peeled/">PHOTO: Ben Nilsson/Big Ben Productions. ARTISTS: Charlotte Koster &amp; Michiel van der Boom</a>)</h6>
<p>This is the &#8220;Peeled Suite&#8221; which was created by Charlotte Koster and Michiel van der Boom, both from the Netherlands. Simple, smooth shapes of peeled snow reveal ice that radiates light into the room, casting nuances of brightness across cleanly sculpted surfaces.</p>
<h4>Chasing Penguins Suite</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19052" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/BigBen_309_02L0095.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="311" /></p>
<h6>(image credit:<a href="http://www.icehotel.com/uk/ICEHOTEL/Art-design/2009/Chasing-Penguins/">PHOTO: Ben Nilsson/Big Ben Productions. ARTIST: Mark Armstrong</a>)</h6>
<p>This suite is &#8220;Chasing Penguins.&#8221; As we chase a life of ease &#8211; Does every one of us have all we need? Ice of blue and ocean clean &#8211; Chase that penguin, submarine. It was created by Mark Armstrong from England. Armstrong<strong> </strong>has been working with ICEHOTEL for over ten years. He also has contributed to the construction and design of Icebars that are springing up in several locations worldwide.</p>
<h4>Queen of Ice Suite</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19053" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/BigBen_308_02L5169.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="308" /></p>
<h6>(image credit:<a href="http://www.icehotel.com/uk/ICEHOTEL/Art-design/2009/The-Queen-of-Ice/">PHOTO: Ben Nilsson/Big Ben Productions. ARTISTS: Leo Park &amp; Finn Öhlund</a>)</h6>
<p>&#8220;The Queen of Ice&#8221; surrounds herself with magnificent winter luxury in a palace that captures the beauty of winter. You are respectfully invited to join her. It was created by Natsuki Munakata and Shingo Saito of Japan. &#8220;The Queen of Ice&#8221; is the fourth ICEHOTEL suite that the dynamic duo has created together.</p>
<h4>Here There Suite</h4>
<p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-19046" src="http://weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/BigBen_310_02L7320.jpg" alt="" width="468" height="309" /></p>
<h6>(image credit:<a href="http://www.icehotel.com/uk/ICEHOTEL/Art-design/2009/Here-There/">PHOTO: Ben Nilsson/Big Ben Productions. ARTISTS: Natsuki Munakata &amp; Shingo Saito</a>)</h6>
<p>This artist suite is called &#8220;Here There.” Inside there is outside here and outside there is inside here. It&#8217;s only a night of deep sleep that can put the there and the here in the now. It is the second ICEHOTEL suite designed by Leo Park and Finn Öhlund of Sweden.</p>



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<des>For vacation unlike any other, a person might try a visit to a hotel built of ice and snow. There are 32 artist suites for snuggling within the ICEHOTEL.</des>
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