Sightseeing In Redding, CA

Midnightmom · June 29

One of the "things to do" when visiting here is to visit the Sundial Bridge. Make sure you have shoes that protect yourself from the heat as the deck of the bridge is made from glass and it gets incredibly hot! And don't walk your dog across the bridge in the summer unless they are wearing protective booties!

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The Sundial Bridge, designed by world-renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, was the architect’s first free-standing bridge in the United States.

The McConnell Foundation, which helped to bring the bridge to Redding, took a chance and asked Calatrava if he would design the pedestrian bridge. To the organization’s surprise, Calatrava agreed to the project. The project’s location was quite a departure from Calatrava’s other large-scale designs, including structures in Spain, Switzerland, Portugal, and the United States that gained him international acclaim. Among his most notable designs are the PATH Transportation Terminal at the World Trade Center site in New York City and several projects at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.

The Redding community was initially divided on the cost, design, and monumental scale of such a modern structure. Some community members felt the stunning natural landscape lent itself more to a simple design than an avant-garde one. Today, the bridge is the beloved, chosen icon for Redding, standing strong through natural disasters and picture-perfect moments. The bridge contains lights that run 365 days a year and can be color-coordinated in honor of significant community events...

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As the name suggests, the Sundial Bridge is, in fact, a working sundial and is one of the largest in the world. The sundial shadow traces such a large arc that it can record only four hours a day, from 11am - 3pm. It is not accurate in winter because the shadow is too far into the arboretum to be seen. The shadow, when visible, moves about one foot per minute, so you can readily see it move.

The steel, glass, and granite span evokes a sense of weightlessness and the translucent, non-skid decking provides for spectacular viewing at night. The bridge is also environmentally sensitive to its river setting. The tall pylon and cable stays allow the bridge to avoid the nearby salmon-spawning habitat as there are no supports in the water while encouraging public appreciation for the river.

In addition to being a functional work of art, the Sundial Bridge is a technical marvel as well. The cable-stayed structure has an inclined, 217 foot pylon constructed of 580 tons of steel. The deck is made up of 200 tons of glass and granite and is supported by more than 4,300 feet of cable. The structure is stabilized by a steel truss, and rests on a foundation of more than 115 tons of steel and 1,900 cubic yards of concrete.

Lightning @ Sundial Bridge, Matt Haynie. Aug 10, 2019

Sundial Bridge on the Summer Solstice: June 21, 2022 - Cory Poole Photography

"Happy Summer Solstice! Here's a view of the sun from the World's Largest Sundial which is located in Redding California. The tower is 217 foot tall and is the support for a beautiful glass decked pedestrian bridge over the Sacramento River about 2 miles from my house. The bridge and tiles with the timing markers only tell the exact time on one day a year which is the Summer Solstice."

The following pics of the Sundial Bridge Redding, California were taken on 30 March 2023 by local photographer, Chris Wallace.

The following pics of the Sundial Bridge Redding, California are from the "Turtle Bay Museum" page

Jeepers · June 30

Awesome. I have never heard of that one. I have seen glass bridges, online, in other parts of the world though. One spans a huge gorge somewhere in China and I think there is one in the Grand Canyon. Also I think I remember something about a glass platform or deck in either NY or Chicago. I'm not afraid of heights but sometimes vertigo kicks in.