Millennium Bridge, NewCastle, UK

Gateshead Millennium Bridge - the world's first and only tilting bridge!



Designed by Wilkinson & Eyre Architects and Engineers and Gifford & Partners, the bridge takes its place at the end of a line of distinguished bridges across the River Tyne, including the Tyne Bridge and Robert Stephenson's High Level Bridge.

Linking Gateshead with Newcastle via Gateshead Quays (described as one of the best places in Europe by Tony Blair) and Newcastle’s Quayside, the bridge not only serves a functional purpose as the River Tyne’s only foot and cycle bridge, but its grace and engineering attract people from all over the world.



How it all began

In 1996 Gateshead Council launched a competition to find a bridge that would link developments on both sides of the River Tyne and also complement the existing six bridges crossing the river.

There were over 150 entries. Gateshead residents voted for their favourite design from a shortlist of leading architectural companies.

The brief was to create a bridge for pedestrians and cyclists that:

Allowed ships to pass underneath;

Did not overshadow the world famous view of the existing bridges;

Didn’t obstruct the Quayside.

The winning design by Wilkinson & Eyre Architects and Gifford & Partners met the criteria perfectly. Everyone knew this design was exceptional.

Leader of Gateshead Council, Councillor Mick Henry said:

"When we chose the design for the Gateshead Millennium Bridge, we knew we had something very special. The many awards and accolades it has received for its design and construction, has certainly proved us right. But even though we knew how innovative it was, we have been taken aback by the massive worldwide interest in our bridge.



"Local people have taken the bridge to their hearts as a symbol of Gateshead’s renaissance, and we are thrilled that the bridge now looks set to appear on a pound coin in the near future.

"But we are equally flattered that people right around the world are interested in what we have done, and will continue to do, in order to regenerate Gateshead Quays and East Gateshead."

Angel of North - Newcastle, UK

Angel of the North is a modern sculpture created by Antony Gormley, which stands just outside Gateshead, England.

As the name suggests, it is a steel sculpture of an angel, standing 20 metres (66 feet) tall, with wings 54 metres (178 feet) making it wider than the Statue of Liberty's height. The wings themselves are not planar, but are angled 3.5 degrees forward, which Gormley has been quoted as saying was to create "a sense of embrace".

Work began on the project in 1994, the total cost coming to £1 million. Most of the project funding was provided by the National Lottery.

Due to its exposed location, the sculpture has to withstand winds of over 100 mph (160 km/h). Thus, 150 metric tonnes (165 tons) of concrete were used to create foundations which anchor the sculpture to rock 20 metres (66 ft) below.

The sculpture itself was created offsite in three parts with the body weighing 100 metric tonnes (110 tons), and two wings weighing 50 metric tonnes (55 tons) each & then brought to its site by road. It took seven hours for the body to be transported from its construction site in Hartlepool, County Durham, up the A19 to the site.

Construction work on the Angel was finished in 16 February 1998. Angel of the North aroused some controversy locally and in the British newspapers when first erected, but has now come to be considered as a landmark for the North East of England.

It is sometimes referred to affectionately as 'The Gateshead Flasher'.