What is a covered bridge?
The indoor bridge is a closed bridge consisting of two solid walls and a roof with a hole at each end for \ operation. The covered bridges were historically constructed from wood, but in modern times much was strengthened by concrete and steel for preservation. Most often associated with America from the beginning of the 19th century, covered bridges across the country have become historical monuments and tourist attractions. Europe and Asia are also known for its numerous indoor bridges, modern and historical.
The first indoor bridge in North America appeared in 1804 and was built by the bridge by architect Thomas Palmer in Pennsylvania. However, bridges have been used since the Middle Ages in many European and Asian countries. Remarkable surviving bridges around the world include the Japanese indoor bridge, built in Hoi An, Vietnam in 1595, and Kappellbrucke Bridge built in Switzerland in 1333.
Bridges were initially covered because of their vulnerability towards rot. The bridge made of wood can take only 10 or 15 years when exposed to elements, but the location of the roof over the structure would increase its life by several decades. Wood is an abundant building material in rural areas, so bridges were built for crossing rivers, streams and streams in remote places. This explains a large number of surviving specimens in the northeastern United States, as well as rural areas in other countries around the world.
Bridges in the United States also share a common color theme. Many of them were painted in red and historians believe it was useful for the coercion of horses to enter. Farmers, traders and travelers equipped with horseships would have a difficult time to convince horses to cross running water. It is assumed that the red color has created an illusion of one hundredthe mines that convinced the horses to enter safely.
As time has passed and improved methods of construction, the covered bridge has become a thing of the past. At the beginning of the 20th century, the metal truss bridges began to replace the old wood structure and soon the bridge was just a memory. There are about 800 indoor bridges left in the United States today and many of them still perform their original function. Modern covered bridges, however, are designed only for comfort or style, rather than for the original purpose of protection from the weather.