No safe place?
As cities big and small across Europe struggle against the negative effects of alien-induced overcrowding, the seemingly limitless tentacles of modern tourism have slipped into a surprising new destination – beneath the UK’s “most complex” motorway interchange -‘s.
Visitors to Birmingham, the country’s second largest city and hometown of Ozzy Osbourne, are being enticed to sign up for guided tours of the ugly Gravelly Hill interchange, known informally as Spaghetti Junction, which handles more than 200,000 vehicles a day .
Described by an architectural expert as “a magnificent structure” and referred to as a “misunderstood beast” by tour organizers, the confusing connector, built 52 years ago, is impressive enough to have earned a place in the Book of Guinness World Records as “the most complex interchange in the British road system.”
The tours, which cost about $13, consist of a two-mile walk under the monster on five levels, showcasing the surprising amount of things to see and do in the shade — canals, a park, a lake, towpaths, animals wildlife, street art and even a beach, SWNS reported.
“This walking tour takes you into a surprising and unique space that few people seek out,” said organizers Explore Birmingham, describing the giant as one of Birmingham’s “most recognizable landmarks”.
“Road slickness can strike fear into cautious drivers and often holds a dark place in the city’s psyche, but is it a misunderstood beast?”
“It really feels like entering another world. Sometimes described as dystopian, the spaces created have provided the backdrop for art exhibitions, dance events and films.
“It may not be traditionally pretty, but this gritty urban underground has a unique vibe that you have to experience to appreciate,” they promised.
The interchange has 559 concrete columns, some of which reach 80 feet high, reinforced by 13,000 tons of steel. It stretches over 30 hectares.
It is estimated that to drive along each leg of the road that makes up the interchange would be about 73 miles of travel.
“It’s an unusual space, but one with a rich history,” Al Hassall, who runs the tours offered just this week, told the BBC.
“A lot of people have wondered what it’s like to go down, but people don’t necessarily know how to go down and if it would be safe once they do,” he said.
“Coming to an organized tour has been great for people to get a chance to see what’s down there.”
“It’s a wonderful structure. It is designed as an image of the future for the city, architecture expert Dr. Michael Dring added.
“It engages with the landscape and brings people into the city, so it has its own beauty.”
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Image Source : nypost.com