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The Bridge of the Four Quarters
of the World
For Ella,
who just came to live in Amsterdam
who just came to live in Amsterdam
The Vierwindstrekenbrug in Amsterdam, the "Bridge of the Four Quarters of the World", is a little-known monument in western Amsterdam, in a neighborhood where all streets are named after explorers. The bridge, built on the place where the Jan van Galenstraat crosses the Admiralengracht, is named after the four sculptures on its corners, which represent...
- the north: an Eskimo fisherman, flanked by two walruses, standing in front of an iglo;
- south: a Masai hunter, flanked by two lions, standing in front of a hut;
- east: a Chinese stevedoor, flanked by two ships, standing in front of a low pagoda;
- and west: an American businessman, flanked by two cars, standing in front of an office building.
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| Eskimo |
Chinese |
Massai |
American |
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| The bank |
Access |
Mother and child |
Stock exchange statistics |
Flora
These four statues all represent the world of men. However, behind the bench opposite the Eskimo, is the monumental access to the bridge, and this is flanked by two female figures, who both have something to do with fertility. To the right is a woman playing with a child; to the left, the goddess Flora. I suspect they are not by Hildo Krop. I also suspect that the grand design - with women representing fertility and men representing exploration - is nowadays a bit outdated.
A satellite photo of the bridge can be seen here.
Livius.Org, 2012
Revision: 26 April 2012
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