Home About Us Archives Stations  
  Spanning the World    
Bridges help build societies. They link communities, and move people and goods. They can also be works of art, symbols of engineering prowess, cultural icons, and strategic acquisitions in warfare. This hour, we look at the unique significance of two of the world's great bridges.
  
  FIRST HALF


Share


The Brooklyn Bridge is the most famous of the four bridges that span the East River in New York City. It’s one of New York's most celebrated architectural wonders. And for many people, it's a stunning reminder of New York's grandeur. From tourists to commuters, to people stranded without subway service during strikes, blackouts – and 9/11 – the Brooklyn Bridge has never lost its primary purpose: to link Manhattan and Brooklyn. In this documentary produced for the BBC World Service, we take the time to get to know some of the people who love this bridge.
SECOND HALF


Share


In ancient history, the Ponte Milvio in Rome was the site of a key battle that marked the beginning of the Christian Roman Empire. Today, this bridge has become a place that has unique symbolism for lovers. The bridge is covered with padlocks. These are symbols of devotion between couples who pledge their love for each other -- as they clip a padlock to the bridge and toss the key into the river Tiber below.

     
   
     



THE CHANGING WORLD is the sister documentary series of PRI's The World. Each week, we offer American radio listeners two in-depth documentaries from the BBC World Service that probe issues critical to our understanding of our evolving world.
The Changing World on Facebook
UPCOMING PROGRAMS

RECENT PROGRAMS

more from the archives »

STATIONS

AUDIO HELP

Listen to
The Changing World
 via: