London’s Wobbly Wonder

by

Siri and Selma have been nagging us for months. They want to go to London. So we set off. Selma had diligently researched and planned that we would first go to the Millennium Bridge, which connects modern with old London and art with spirituality. This elegant pedestrian suspension bridge links the Tate Modern to St Paul’s Cathedral. When it opened in June 2000, it wobbled so much that it was closed within two days. As people walked across it, their footsteps caused the bridge to sway and made them adjust their gait inadvertently. A wave of human coordination turned the bridge into a wobbly board. It took two years to stop the wobbling with the help of dampers. Selma likes that the nickname ‘Wobbly Bridge’ has stuck.

Siri und Selma quengeln uns seit Monaten die Ohren voll, dass sie nach London wollen. So fuhren wir los. Selma hatte emsig recherchiert und geplant, dass wir zuerst zur Millennium Bridge gehen, die das moderne mit dem alten London und Kunst mit Spiritualität verbindet. Diese elegante Fußgängerbrücke ist eine Hängebrücke, die die Tate Modern mit St. Paul’s verbindet. Als sie im Juni 2000 eröffnet wurde, schwang sie so stark, dass sie nach zwei Tagen geschlossen werden musste. Das Begehen der Brücke versetzte sie in Schwingung, so dass die Fußgänger ihren Schritt anpassten. Diese unbewusste Koordination verstärkte die Schwingungen. Es dauerte zwei Jahre, bis die Schwankung mit Dämpfern gestoppt werden konnten. Selma findet es toll, dass die Brücke ihren Spitznamen “Wobbly Bridge” (Wackelbrücke) behalten hat.

It’s amazing how a simple walk across a bridge can make you feel like a part of something bigger –
whether it’s the hum of the city, the flow of the river, or just the collective hope that the wobble’s really gone for good.

Bridges are designed for crossing, but the Millennium Bridge is really about stopping.
Dina stopped in the middle of the bridge (for photos, of course), from where we had a breathtaking view of modern London. Tower Bridge loomed in the distance, flanked by the historic Tower of London. But it was the shimmering modern skyline that caught our eye. We looked at the glass skyscrapers of the City of London, including the Shard, Europe’s tallest building, which cuts into the sky.

Brücken sind zum Überqueren gebaut. Die Millennium Brücke lädt jedoch zum Verweilen ein.
Dina blieb mitten auf der Brücke stehen – natürlich zum Fotografieren – von wo aus wir einen atemberaubenden Blick auf das moderne London hatten. In der Ferne sahen wir die Tower Bridge, aber es war die glänzende moderne Silhouette, die uns begeisterte. Wir waren fasziniert von den Glasfassaden der Wolkenkratzer, darunter der Shard, das höchste Gebäude Europas.


Crossing the river can make you feel like you’re crossing into another version of the city.
Crossing the Millennium Bridge, we asked ourselves: are we moving toward something new, or simply being reminded that London is always new, no matter how many times you see it?

The bridge ends on one side at the Brutalist architecture of the Tate Modern, its chimney a reminder of the power station it once was. A short walk along the south bank brings you to the Globe Theatre. At the opposite end is St Paul’s Cathedral. Its baroque dome, designed by Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London in 1666, is one of London’s famous landmarks, which Klausbernd finds rather ugly, but to Londoners it’s a symbol of resilience after surviving the Blitz. Samuel Pepys watched the Great Fire from the opposite bank, where Charles Dickens grew up.

Am anderen Ende der Brücke liegt unser Ziel, das brutalistische Gebäude der Tate Modern. Ihr Schornstein erinnert daran, dass es früher ein Kraftwerk war. Ein paar Schritte weiter liegt Shakespeares Globe Theatre. Das andere Ende der Brücke dominiert die St. Paul’s Cathedral, deren barocke Kuppel von Christopher Wren nach dem großen Londoner Brand von 1666 entworfen wurde. Samuel Pepys hat das Feuer vom gegenüberliegenden Ufer, wo Charles Dickens aufgewachsen ist, beobachtete. St. Pauls ist das berühmte Wahrzeichen Londons, das Klausbernd hässlich findet, welches aber für die Londoner als Überlebende der Luftangriffe Standhaftigkeit symbolisiert.

Tate Modern – a beacon of moderne culture, innovation, and sometimes, controversy.

Siri found out that the bridge featured in the Harry Potter series. In ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince‘, the Millennium Bridge is destroyed by Death Eaters. In fiction, darkness can shatter this bridge, in reality, fortunately, it stands firm.

Siri hat im Netz herausgefunden, dass die Brücke in den Harry Potter Geschichten eine Rolle spielt. In ‘Harry Potter und der Halbblutprinz‘ wird die Millennium Bridge von Voldemorts Todessern zerstört. In der Fantasie kann die Dunkelheit die Brücke zerstören, in der Realität bleibt sie zum Glück stehen.


On our way home we were wondering if this bridge connects more than just places. Can it also bridge time, ideas and help us to understand this city?
Siri dreamt last night of the Wobbly Bridge, which was difficult to cross.


“Bridges symbolise danger, but also overcoming it”, explains Klausbernd. “They are also a symbol of cooperation, which is why bridges are often depicted on Euro banknotes.“

Auf dem Weg nach Hause fragten wir uns, ob Brücken mehr als nur physische Orte verbinden. Können sie Zeit und Idee verknüpfen und unser Verständnis ihres Ortes fördern?
Siri träumte letzte Nacht von der Wobbly Bridge, die schwer zu überqueren war.
“Brücken symbolisieren Gefahr, aber auch deren Überwindung“, erklärte Klausbernd. “Sie sind auch ein Symbol für Zusammenarbeit, deshalb sind auf den Euro-Banknoten oft Brücken abgebildet.“

With best regards
Mit lieben Grüßen

The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂



© text and illustrations, Hanne Siebers & Klausbernd Vollmar, Cley next the Sea 2024

146 thoughts

    • Liebe Uschi, lieber Herbert

      wir mussten uns auch erst einmal an diese echte Großstadt gewöhnen. Hanne-Dina hatte jedoch zusammen mit Selma alles bestens vorbereitet z.B. wie wir womit wohin gehen. Obwohl wir Landeier geworden sind, haben wir diesen Ausflug genossen.

      Liebe Grüße nach Frankfurt
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

    • Dear Pete

      Although being country bumpkins we enjoyed London really much. Watching architecture, people and the traffic was exciting. Before leaving we ate the best Indian meal we have ever had – better than in India.

      Actually, we went to London to look at modern art. What we did at the Tate Modern. We like the playfulness of modern art.

      Thanks for commenting. Wishing you a great weekend – we have glorious weather right now

      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  4. I saw a documentary on TV about how this bridge was repaired. It seems like the engineers would have known that this bridge would wobble. Beautiful photos, I would love to see London! 🇬🇧❤️

    Liked by 5 people

    Reply

  5. Marvellous! You have taken me on a trip down ‘memory lane’. It’s a wonderful bridge, especially crossing south to north with St. Paul’s up ahead. I missed its opening in 2000 as I was made redundant the year before and working in London stopped. Now that you’ve wetted my appetite it will definitely be on our list for things to do next time there, along with Tate Modern which I also missed! Thank you for this post! 🙋‍♂️

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

  6. Dearest friends,
    what a lovely nod to the irresistible charm of views. You make me feel like I’m back in the big city, looking at the gorgeous photos and London’s ever-changing nature. Your reflective and personal musing is a delightful read.
    I remember when I last watched the Millennium Bridge from the sturdy banks of the Thames, the bridge seemed almost delicate to me.
    Then I stepped onto it and realised that maybe it’s not just a bridge, but a reminder that beauty and strength go hand in hand.
    Well done for capturing the quirky beauty and the essence of this special place so beautifully, a true magnet to many tourists around the world.
    You look good Klausbernd. 😉
    Take care, dear friends.
    Kram
    Annalena xx

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

    • Good afternoon, dear Annalena

      First of all, Klausbernd says THANK YOU for your compliment.

      Watching London from the Millennium Bridge you see London in a nutshell. As you write, the view is really charming. For visitors to London, it’s a must-go.

      All the best, keep well
      KRAM
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Cities like London are very photogenic, as you write dear Jude. In black and white these structures come out more graphically.

      We wish you a wonderful weekend.

      Thanks for your kind words
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  15. Lovely you had a London day. I love that bridge, it is fun. Well, I love London, it has so much to offer. From some of the tall buildings you have an amazing view. Next time you come you’ll have to check that out. The Tate Modern is always a great place to go too.

    Now back home where it is peaceful.

    Love Ute xx

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Dear Ute
      The next time we visit London – it’s actually not that far from where we live – we’ll go to some of the tall buildings and will take photos from there.
      This time our destination was Tate Modern. That was enough for one day.
      Thanks and love xxx
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you very much, dear Cindy.

      You are right, bridges are symbols of hope. “Bridge over Troubled Water” this song just came into my mind. Hope has to do with making connections.

      We wish you a happy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

  17. Strikingly good photos! It’s a compelling skyline, isn’t it? I’m not even a person who likes high rise and skyscrapers but there’s something about this panorama. I was excited to walk across the bridge soon after its completion. I love the view from Greenwich too.

    Have a great weekend, Fab 4!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Dear Jo

      It is a captivating skyline, indeed, with those striking glass facades reflecting the surroundings.
      Yes, the view from Greenwich is also stunning. We’ve visited Greenwich several times as Klausbernd is fascinated by nautical history.

      Thanks for commenting. Wishing you all the best
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  18. Fab Four of Cley,
    Bridges bring all sorts of visions to mind and Siri and Selma chose an excellent one. A new and old connection that you know I would enjoy, for certain!
    The Sunshine Skyway Bridge in St. Petersburg, FL that I crossed in a severe monsoon certainly brought visions to my mind too!
    Thank you for taking me on your journey!
    GP

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Dear GP

      We just had a look at the Sunshine Skyway Bridge online, it’s truly impressive. But that’s another dimension. In comparison, the Millennium Bridge is like a toy. Crossing such a large bridge during a severe monsoon must have been quite an adventure.

      Thank you very much for commenting.
      Keep well, happy and healthy
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  19. A pedestrian bridge in the city centre allows an access we would not otherwise have. Few of us would stop to take in the view, and take photographs, on a road bridge, but it is perfectly comfortable to do so here. It is in a sense a world apart, a separation yet an insight into the city. A new pedestrian bridge is presently under construction here in our town and I look forward to walking across, taking in the new views and taking lots of photographs. Many thanks for the account of your visit to London – something we would enjoy doing ourselves as it has been years since we were there.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  22. Wonderful blog post and photographs Fab Four Of Cley. Its amazing that the best laid plans of mice and men sometimes don’t work out as evidenced by the bridge having to close after two days until the engineers figured out a solution to the wobbling.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Dear Joe

      there is a rumour that some people liked this wobbling but it was not approved by Health and Safety. We don’t know if that is correct but we wouldn’t have minded some wobble.
      Anyway, it’s a great view of the London skyline from there.

      Thanks for your comment.
      Enjoy the weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • This is what we wanted.

      Bridges can symbolise a lot and therefore they are fascinating. They are, like the Millennium Bridge, an architectural work of art.

      Thanks and wishing you a relaxing weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  27. Siri and Selma are fantastic travel gurus ~ their fairy magic does the trick in getting you out, and then Dina captures the magic with her photos. I’ve never visited the Wobbly Bridge, and now I feel that to make London more complete, I need to return and see this piece of modern art linking the past with the present. With your words, you add to the artistic beauty many bridges hold, where it is not just an architectural work of art but representative of the place. Wonderful ~ bridges make dreams come true, and I hope all of yours do!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Dear Randall
      Siri and Selma are the best travel gurus we can think of. They pushed us to visit London and made it a great experience.
      It’s a bit of a shame that the Wobbly Bridge no longer wobbles. That would have added to the experience of crossing it. Nonetheless, it’s a work of art that takes us to one of the centres of modern art.
      You can see the view of London’s skyline as modern art, similar to Merian’s engravings of city skylines about four centuries earlier.
      Thank you very much for commenting and your good wishes
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

  28. Pingback: London’s Wobbly Wonder – ADVERTISING OPERATIONS

  31. Vielen Dank ihr Lieben, dass ihr mich an diesem regnerischen Tag wieder einmal nach London geführt habt! Ich habe das Gefühl, dass mich diese Stadt ein Leben lang immer wieder begleitet hat, sei es wegen der Sprache, Museen, Musicals, oder weil unsere Tochter dort studiert hat. Brücken habe ich immer gerne als etwas Verbindendes betrachtet auch, wenn sie wackeln:)
    Ganz lieben Dank an alle für diesen tollen Beitrag mit Fotos.
    Cari saluti Martina

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Danke sehr, liebe Martina

      obwohl wir nicht einmal zwei Stunden von London entfernt wohnen, besuchen wir diese faszinierende Stadt nur selten. Wir sind richtige Landeier geworden, haben jedoch unseren Besuch sehr genossen.

      Wir wünschen dir ein wunderbares Wochenende
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

    • Wir haben es gerade ganz gemütlich mit Feuer im Kamin, Cocktail im Glas und ein gutes Buch vor der Nase. Was will man mehr?
      Auch dir einen gemütlichen Abend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  33. Zum Glueck war die Bruecke schon nicht mehr “wobbly” als wir drueber gegangen sind.

    Grossartige Fotos in Schwarz-Weiss von der lieben Dina! Da sieht man einmal so richtig, wie ausdrucksvoll Schwarz-Weiss sein kann. 👍

    Liebe Gruesse,

    Pit

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Guten Morgen, lieber Pit

      Habe herzlichen Dank für deinen Kommentar. Auch wir lieben S&W Fotografie wegen ihrer Ausdrucksstärke sehr.

      Was dich sicher interessiert, wir gingen über die Millennium Bridge, da wir uns zeitgenössische Kunst in der Tata Modern anschauen wollten. Wir fanden das so inspirierend, dass wir den ganzen Tag dort verbrachten. Anschließend ging wir zu einem 5 Sterne Inder essen, das beste indische Essen, das wir je gegessen haben. Auf jeden Fall besser als jedes indische Essen, das ich in Indien oder wo auch immer aß.

      Liebe Grüße von der jetzt herbstlichen Küste Norfolks
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Indisch essen, lieber Klausbernd, waren wir schon lange nicht mehr, und dabei mag Mary das doch so gerne. Es wird also mal wieder hoechste Zeit. Weisst Du eigentlich, dass Mary (und ihr Ex, ein Pakistani), einmal fuer 2 Jahre ein indisches Restaurant in Austin betrieben haben?

      Liebe Gruesse,

      Pit

      Like

    • Oh dear, lieber Pit

      Tata hat noch nicht Tate Modern aufgekauft, natürlich ist es nicht Tata sondern TATE Modern – just a typo 😦

      Liebe Grüße, wir verschwinden jetzt in der Sauna
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

    • Dear Rebecca

      Thank you very much for your comment.
      The Millennium Bridge is important for everyone who wants to visit the Tate Modern.

      Wishing you a happy week
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  37. When we travel up to London we also love to go to the Millenium Bridge and have walked across many times. I always stop to take what I hope to be ‘iconic’ photographs of iconic buildings…… However Dina’s have put mine to shame :). Well done on capturing the essence of the place from those different angles. I have found it difficult to capture the modern buildings – without them looking flat and uninteresting. Your foreshortened views of St Pauls across the bridge are very effective too. And of course Klausbernd you deserve a mention – looking very relaxed (albeit a little quizzical!)

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Thank you very much for your kind words that made Dina smile.
      To capture interesting pictures of these iconic buildings, it’s best to go to the Tate Modern end of the bridge when there are clouds in the sky. It doesn’t work well in sunshine.

      Klausbernd looking quizzical, well, maybe a bit. He had to be persuaded to go to London.

      All the best
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

    • Good morning, dear Claudia

      we had a fabulous time in London, especially in the Tate Modern.

      A very happy week to you as well and thanks for commenting
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 :-):-) 

      Like

    • Dear Rabirius

      Thanks for liking Dina’s photos.
      Indeed, London has changed quite a lot. In the seventies, I went to London quite regularly. I had the feeling that this was another London. I like the modern architecture of London. It’s much more beautiful now.

      Happy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 

      Like

  41. Thanks to all of you: for planning the trip, for taking us along, for sharing your wonderful photos as well as your musings about the meaning of London and its bridges. It’s been a long time since I visited the city and I never had the opportunity to wobble across the Millenium Bridge. Next time for sure, though I might be deprived of feeling the sway. 😊

    Best,

    Tanja

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Good morning, dear Tanja

      Thanks a lot for your kind words.

      Crossing the Millennium Bridge you can hardly feel a wobble nowadays. In a way, it’s a pity.

      Wishing you all the best
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  45. I like how the “Wobbly Bridge” nickname has stuck, too! Reading about the history behind notable buildings is always so fascinating. If we just look close enough, we can pull a library’s worth of stories from their foundations. Stunning photos!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Hi, dear Damyanti

      Indeed, you are absolutely right. We love such nicknames too and research their history.

      Thanks for commenting
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

    • Dear Roberta

      Don’t worry, it no longer wobbles or behaves any differently than any other suspension bridge.

      All the best
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

  50. It has been 50 years since I visited London. It doesn’t seem that long ago. I never made it to Europe. My husband did before we were married and we kept planning it, but never had both time and money to do and now we’re retired. Plenty of time, very little money. Which is why your amazing photography is such a pleasure for me. It is exceptional and I’m sure you have heard this before.

    I love bridges. We live in a river valley, so there are many bridges to photograph, many of them old and built of stone, probably sometime in the 1800s. They are now rebuilding most of them. Stone wears away over time and the old wooden bridges were in danger of collapse. I used to have a drainage trench in our backyard and we built a little bridge over it. It wasn’t much of a river and unless we had an awful lot of rain, it was usually dry. It was the thought that counted. Now the water flows underground and keeping a bridge without it being over something seemed a bit silly, but it was sweet while we had it.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Good afternoon, dear Marilyn

      We also love bridges, not only because they are often architectural masterpieces but also because of the symbolism you find in nearly every culture (the famous bridge over troubled water f.e.).

      London is worth visiting. The architecture in the city is like huge sculptures with glass facades reflecting their surrounding.

      Great that you have your own bridge even over dry land.

      Thanks for commenting
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

  51. Oh my, what beautiful photography of old and new; black and white and color! I always think of bridges in a broader sense. They join land masses together and bring people together, sometimes healing former hurts. I was fascinated by the new buildings in London, because most of the images I’ve seen are of the more historic city.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  54. Wow! The photos here are stunning and helps us view London in a whole new light – as if seeing into its very soul! I enjoyed the philosophical thoughts about bridges, they seem more important than ever! It beggars belief that the ‘wobble’ issue was a surprise to the engineers and I remember reading people were actually becoming ill from the motion! I’m heading into London soon and your post has tempted me to head over for the crossing!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Hi Annika

      The advantage of seeing London from this ‘wobbly bridge’ is the perspective. London’s skyline looks much more impressive than from a higher standpoint.

      Thanks for commenting.
      Wishing you a pleasant trip to London
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  56. Ich glaube, dass nicht die Dunkelheit die Brücken zerstört, auch nicht die am Tay. Wohl aber Gleichschritt. Bekanntlich hat das schon mehr als eine Brücke zum Einsturz gebracht.
    Bei den neuen Gebäuden scheint auch das konkave Glasfassaden – Ding dabei zu sein, das unten auf der Straße die Autos beschädigt, den Lack aufplatzen läßt. Hat man das eigentlich schon geändert? Oder ein Parkverbotsschild aufgestellt?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.