The archetypal symbol of modern Newcastle upon Tyne is the Tyne Bridge, a two hinged arched bridge connecting the city to Gateshead. Built in the 1920s at a cost of £1 million it carried at that time the A1, the main road from London to Edinburgh.
The Tyne Bridge’s design was based on those of the Sydney Harbor Bridge and New York’s Hell Gate Bridge. Although started later, the Tyne Bridge was completed before Sydney’s. Incredibly for the time, only one worker was killed during the construction of the Tyne Bridge.
Trams, road traffic and foot travelers used the Tyne Bridge in its first years. Its granite towers contained elevators for both freight and passengers. Like the trams the elevators have been retired, but the bridge remains. A walk across Tyne Bridge is a stroll into the city’s history as well as a pleasant excursion. There are a great number of good quality hotels in Newcastle to choose from.
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