Bridge of Sighs, Oxford (must see)
Unfortunately, if you are not a student of Hertford College, you won鈥檛 be able to cross the Bridge of Sighs, but you can certainly admire it from street level and add a photo of it to your collection of Oxford鈥檚 marvellous structures.
The real name of the bridge is the Hertford Bridge and it was built in 1914 by Sir Thomas Jackson. It took its popular name from the fact that it is supposed to look just like the bridge of the same name in Venice. Actually, it resembles the Rialto Bridge more than anything else, but the Bridge of Sighs sounds more romantic.
The bridge is a fine example of the Quadrature of the Parabola, developed by Archimedes in the 3rd century BC 鈥� a rather difficult geometrical concept in that the area of a parabolic segment is 4/3 of a certain inscribed triangle. It all comes down to the triangle (top) of the bridge being supported by the arch (parabola) because they are of the same base length and height.
Leaving the Maths lesson behind, the bridge is covered and glass panelled and links the college鈥檚 Old Quad with the New Quad. According to popular legend, the college once closed the bridge to overweight students, forcing them to get some exercise by taking the long route from one building to another.
***Harry Potter Walk***
Conveniently easy to spot behind Oxford鈥檚 very own Bridge of Sighs, the ancient (almost 200-year-old) giant Oak Tree, featured during a duel between Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, can be seen in New College Cloisters. And while the cloisters themselves are closed to the public, a photo of the tree can still be snapped from the roadside!
The real name of the bridge is the Hertford Bridge and it was built in 1914 by Sir Thomas Jackson. It took its popular name from the fact that it is supposed to look just like the bridge of the same name in Venice. Actually, it resembles the Rialto Bridge more than anything else, but the Bridge of Sighs sounds more romantic.
The bridge is a fine example of the Quadrature of the Parabola, developed by Archimedes in the 3rd century BC 鈥� a rather difficult geometrical concept in that the area of a parabolic segment is 4/3 of a certain inscribed triangle. It all comes down to the triangle (top) of the bridge being supported by the arch (parabola) because they are of the same base length and height.
Leaving the Maths lesson behind, the bridge is covered and glass panelled and links the college鈥檚 Old Quad with the New Quad. According to popular legend, the college once closed the bridge to overweight students, forcing them to get some exercise by taking the long route from one building to another.
***Harry Potter Walk***
Conveniently easy to spot behind Oxford鈥檚 very own Bridge of Sighs, the ancient (almost 200-year-old) giant Oak Tree, featured during a duel between Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, can be seen in New College Cloisters. And while the cloisters themselves are closed to the public, a photo of the tree can still be snapped from the roadside!
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Oxford. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Bridge of Sighs on Map
Sight Name: Bridge of Sighs
Sight Location: Oxford, England (See walking tours in Oxford)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Oxford, England (See walking tours in Oxford)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Oxford, England
Create Your Own Walk in Oxford
Creating your own self-guided walk in Oxford is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Oxford Introduction Walking Tour
Oxford, a city in central England, has captivated the minds of scholars and travelers for centuries. The name "Oxford" originates from the Old English "Oxenaford," which means "shallow crossing of the oxen." It harks back to the early days (circa 900 AD) when a small settlement established by the Anglo-Saxons served as an important crossing point on the upper reaches... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles
Colleges of Oxford University
The University of Oxford is the oldest educational institution in England and one of the best in the world. Alma mater for thousands of the most influential people on the planet, it is also a major attraction for architecture and history buffs.
The university represents a "federation" incorporating 38 self-governing colleges and six permanent private halls. Let's take a closer... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles
The university represents a "federation" incorporating 38 self-governing colleges and six permanent private halls. Let's take a closer... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles
Harry Potter Walk in Oxford
In addition to its conventional university fame, more recently Oxford has emerged as a major filming location for the magical world of Harry Potter.
The picturesque New College served as the backdrop for several scenes in the Harry Potter movies. Its cloisters were used as the setting for Hogwarts' interiors, where characters like Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley walked... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles
The picturesque New College served as the backdrop for several scenes in the Harry Potter movies. Its cloisters were used as the setting for Hogwarts' interiors, where characters like Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley walked... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.0 Km or 0.6 Miles