A bollard is simply a short post in an upright position. In the past, these were generally used to moor ships. Today, they have a multitude of functions. Another name for a bollard is a "bole" or a "boulard" (from the French). One of the earliest known bollards is made of white marble and is placed at the northwest end of the Roman Forum. It is called the Arch of Septimius Severus and was erected in AD 203 in commemoration of one of his military victories. Beyond the arch itself are located five boulards, placed there to protect the arch from vehicle damage. It is not clear when they were placed there. In modern times, a bollard is likely to be placed in front of an expensive shop to dissuade wannabe ram-raiders or to discourage suicide bombers from driving into public buildings.
Another type of bollard is called a Dragon's tooth. This is a square, pyramidal bole made from reinforced concrete. The first recorded use of dragon's teeth was in the Siegfried Line in World War II. Their purpose was to retard the progress of tanks and gently guide them toward pre-designated "killing zones."
Boll-Art at Winchester Cathedral shows a whimsical example of boles used both decoratively and functionally. Designed to protect pedestrians from nearby vehicles, the posts have been painted with various themes. Mona Lisa is accompanied by works adapted from Matisse, Lautrec, Mondrian, Klimt and others.
Bells are another form of bollard. Located on sidewalks at intersections, they are surprisingly not designed to trip up innocent pedestrians. Rather, they are there to deflect heavy goods vehicles from jumping onto the pedestrian walkways.
On London streets you will see the posts lit from the inside in an effort to help motorists see where to turn. One artistically-inclined Londoner used a felt-tip pen to decorate one near her home with lovely butterflies and flowers. She got the idea from her home town of Brisbane in Australia, where the city council actively encouraged residents to decorate things like signal boxes.
Probably one of the most elaborate examples of boll-art is in London, located on Duke Square in the Sloane Street area of SW1. A boy is shown leap-frogging over a bollard. Nearby, there is a little girl sitting on top of a concrete plinth. Engraved on the plinth is the title of the piece, "The Two Pupils, " and a short description of how they came to be there.
The concept of a mooring bollard with a cross bar to enable sailors to twist rope around in a figure 8 is especially eye-catching for tourists. Popularly photographed examples include "Mooring bollard at sunset, Lyme Regis, " "Ghent mooring bollard, " and "Mooring bollard in the Marina of Izola."
London would certainly not be the same without the humble bollard. They protect pedestrians from errant vehicles and keep motorists from wandering down the wrong way of a one-way system. By the sea and on canals, sailors would have a lot less fun mooring their vessels. Tourists would have fewer objects to photograph as evidence of their holidays.
Another type of bollard is called a Dragon's tooth. This is a square, pyramidal bole made from reinforced concrete. The first recorded use of dragon's teeth was in the Siegfried Line in World War II. Their purpose was to retard the progress of tanks and gently guide them toward pre-designated "killing zones."
Boll-Art at Winchester Cathedral shows a whimsical example of boles used both decoratively and functionally. Designed to protect pedestrians from nearby vehicles, the posts have been painted with various themes. Mona Lisa is accompanied by works adapted from Matisse, Lautrec, Mondrian, Klimt and others.
Bells are another form of bollard. Located on sidewalks at intersections, they are surprisingly not designed to trip up innocent pedestrians. Rather, they are there to deflect heavy goods vehicles from jumping onto the pedestrian walkways.
On London streets you will see the posts lit from the inside in an effort to help motorists see where to turn. One artistically-inclined Londoner used a felt-tip pen to decorate one near her home with lovely butterflies and flowers. She got the idea from her home town of Brisbane in Australia, where the city council actively encouraged residents to decorate things like signal boxes.
Probably one of the most elaborate examples of boll-art is in London, located on Duke Square in the Sloane Street area of SW1. A boy is shown leap-frogging over a bollard. Nearby, there is a little girl sitting on top of a concrete plinth. Engraved on the plinth is the title of the piece, "The Two Pupils, " and a short description of how they came to be there.
The concept of a mooring bollard with a cross bar to enable sailors to twist rope around in a figure 8 is especially eye-catching for tourists. Popularly photographed examples include "Mooring bollard at sunset, Lyme Regis, " "Ghent mooring bollard, " and "Mooring bollard in the Marina of Izola."
London would certainly not be the same without the humble bollard. They protect pedestrians from errant vehicles and keep motorists from wandering down the wrong way of a one-way system. By the sea and on canals, sailors would have a lot less fun mooring their vessels. Tourists would have fewer objects to photograph as evidence of their holidays.
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