It’s high time for us to highlight more Famous Fences! You can catch our first installment of this series here to brush up on the original famous fences around the world we chose.
Famous fences are those that astound us with their size or remain picturesque in our minds. Here are five more famous fences from around the world.
Lock Fence
For many years, couples have sealed their love in a padlock attached to the Pont Des Arts bridge in Paris. Some made the union irrevocable by throwing the key in the Seine. Over time the bridge has amassed over 700,000 locks; so many that the bridge is starting to break under the weight, which is equal to that of twenty elephants. The Parisian government has stepped in to remove the locks, so that the fence doesn’t under the weight of love.
Aquarium Fence
A wealthy gentleman in Turkey opted for something a bit more extravagant than an ornamental or wood fence. 164 feet long, and containing almost one thousand fish, the Aquarium Fence of Cesme is the only of its kind in the world. It’s linked by a pipeline to the Aegean sea so that the water will be constantly changed, keeping the fish happy. Over a thousand people a day come to visit this living fence.
Dingo Fence
Australia’s vast landscape is perfect for sheep-herding. However, back in the 1880’s, dingos, or wild dogs, were mauling the sheep population, taking thousands and thousands out of the flocks. A one thousand mile long fence was constructed to keep the predators out. For over a hundred years the fence has stood, repaired every now and then by stalwart ranchers and government employees. Of late, feral camels have been knocking down sections of the fence, indicating that perhaps it’s time for a new one. The Australian government is considering a steel and electric fence.
Rabbit Fence
The dingo problem taken care of, Australia faced yet another pest infestation–bunnies! Back in 1788, a guy named Thomas Austin released a bunch of rabbits into Australia. They multiplied like, well, rabbits, and began to tear apart the ecosystem. In 1900, the Australians built a fence going north-south across west Australia, to keep the rabbits out. The fence was 2023 miles long, and made of wood, iron, barbed wire, and mesh, basically anything that could be found. The fence extends six inches below ground, to discourage rabbits from digging under the fence. Into the 1920’s, rabbit guards would ride along the fence on camels to shoot any rabbits that got across the fence. The fence, or the hunters on camels, worked, and the Australian ecosystem was saved.
Toothbrush fence
Our last is perhaps the strangest. An eccentric gentleman, Laird McGillicuddy Graeme Cairns, in New-Zealand, built a toothbrush fence around his yard. He takes brush donations at any time, including bottle brushes and toilet brushes. He says he hopes that a few hundred more brushes will make his fence a worldwide tourist attraction.
Now, these are a little extreme for everyday use around your home or business so we understand if you want an ornamental, wood, or vinyl fence instead. Call us today and we’ll get you a fence that’s not quite such a tourist spot but will definitely do the job and look great.
