as small as a world and as large as alone

2:37pm July 12, 2013

odditiesoflife:

Palladian Bridge in Prior Park, Somerset

Prior Park Landscape Garden is an 18th century landscape garden, located in Bath, Somerset in England, that features a rare 260 year old Palladian bridge, a stunning Gothic centerpiece in the park.

In 1726, Ralph Allen purchased part of an estate between Widcombe and Combe Down, including the old priory lands. Allen was by then a leading citizen in Bath. Between 1734 and 1740, Allen, with help from the poet Alexander Pope (1688-1744), made designs for the park. These featured a grotto, serpentine river with a sham bridge, and a flowing cascade. In the 1750s, the landscape was extended northwards and the Palladian bridge was constructed.

The Palladian bridge is one of only four left in the world. The garden was influential in defining the style of garden known as the “English garden" in continental Europe. The 28 acre park is set in a dramatic site, running down a small steep valley, with a lake and stunning views of the city of Bath.

source 1, 2, 3

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