ABSTRACT
The boldest bridge design of the Middle Ages was the great bridge over the Adda at Trezzo, in Northern Italy, which spanned a river with a single arch of 72 meters in length with nearly 21 meters rise. Viollet-le-Duc, the French architect/historian, discussed the fortress and its design in his six-volume work on French architecture in the Middle Ages. The Middle Ages “Ingeniator” became a master of the art of masonry. Master James, considered the greatest ingeniator and military architect of the Middle Ages, died in 1309. Beaumaris is considered his masterpiece of medieval military engineering with upwards of 300 firing positions — moats and complicated access routes. Stone bridges were built over the Danube at Ratisbon, Elbe at Dresden, Main at Winzberg, Moldau at Prague, Thames at London, and Arno at Florence. Stone was used as anchors and as ballast.
