Chapter IX. Of the bridge of Bassano

NEAR Bassano, a country situated at the foot of the Alps which separates Italy from Plate N Germany, I have directed the following wooden bridge over the Brenta, a most rapid river, that discharges itself into the sea near Fence, and was by the antients called Medoacus, to which, (as Livy relates in his first Decad) Cleonimus the Spartan came with a naval army before the Trojan war. The river, in the place where the bridge was made, is one hundred and eighty foot wide, This breadth is divided into five equal parts, because the two banks being very well fortified, that is, the heads of the bridge, with beams of oak and of larix, four orders of piles were made in the river, thirty four foot and an half distant the one from the other. Each of these orders consists of eight beams thirty foot long, and a foot and an half thick every way, and distant two foot one from the other: hence the whole length of the bridge comes to be divided into five spaces, and its breadth is twenty six foot, Upon the said orders were placed some cross beams, according to the said breadth (this sort of beams so placed, are vulgarly called correnti) which being nailed to the beams driven in the river, hold them all together, joined and united. Upon these correnti, plumb on the said beams, were placed eight other beams, which make the length of the bridge, and reach from one order to the other. And because the distance between the said orders is very great, hence with difficulty the beams placed length ways, could have been able to support the weight that might have been put upon them, when it should have been great, some beams were placed between these and the correnti, that serve for modiglions, and support part of the weight: besides which, other beams were placed, which being fastened in those that were driven into the river, and leaning the one towards the other, were united with another beam placed in the middle of the said distance under each beam for the length, These beams so placed, represent an arch, having the fourth part of its diameter in height; and so the work becomes beautiful in its form; and strong, because the beams that form the length of the bridge, are thereby doubled in the middle.

Upon these are put other beams cross ways, which make the plan or floor of the bridge, and project something more than the remaining part of the work, and appear like the modiglions of a cornice. On each side of the bridge are placed the columns that support the roof, and serve as a loggia, and make the whole work very commodious and beauti‘ul,

A Is the line of the surface of the water. D, Are the beams that make the length of the bridge, upon which are seen the

beads of those that form the floor. E, Are the beams, which leaning one towards the other, are united with other beams placed in the middle of the distance, that is, between the orders of piles;

hence in the said place the beams come to be double.

¥, Are the columns that support the roof. H, Is the plan of the orders of piles with the buttresses which binder the said piles

being shaken by the timber that comes down the river.

1, Is the scale of ten sect, with which the whole work is measured.