Gondolayu Bridge at Kali Code Yogyakarta
Bridges always has an interesting story. The building that was originally designed to connect two places, facilitate movement of people to cross the river, the road or the longer this valley has an additional function, namely as a public space for gathering. One of them at the Bridge Gondolayu, Yogyakarta.
Gondoloyu nggondhol derived from the word 'run , bring ' and ayu 'pretty, pretty'. This second version states that in the past this bridge is often used for suicide girls desperate ( usually because the issue of romance ). Thus, this version tends to state that this bridge in the past often steal the lives of beautiful girls.
There is also another version states that the name is derived from the name Gondolayu Bandalayu. This Bandalayu name existed long before the bridge Gondolayu established. Bandalayu name used to label the baths or water parks built by Sultan Hamengku Buwana I. The first bathhouse was built on the west side of the river on the north bridge now. Only the former building this water park now looks more in the other word of disappeared.
Until now Gondolayu still plays bridge linking residents on the east side to the west, crossing the Code River which flows at the bottom. A document tells about Bridges Gondolayu overgrown trees and shady in 1937. Unfortunately, this time the shade it had disappeared. The bridge, which was built during the reign of the Dutch East Indies became barren and chaotic. In addition to the number of buildings and the vehicle continues to increase, the bridge is used to gather and spend time in the afternoon and evening. The visitors often parked on the side of the bridge. Then, they chat or take pictures on both sides of the bridge.
This situation gets worse when the cold lava flood or eruption of Mount Merapi. The motorcyclist, a car or a bike directly pulled onto the shoulder and then looked toward the river Code or photographing molten lava. Meanwhile, on a different section of residents in the outskirts of the Code struggling elevate talut that their house was flooded. Soon, the food vendors come close, offering merchandise, then, there was a traffic jam on both sides which makes traffic flow faltered even stop completely.
The story of Bridge Gondolayu nonetheless interesting. The bridge is still showing a relic of the Dutch Colonial government as well as facilitate the road users. Unfortunately, some people still do not know the function of the bridge, do not even want to know and did not care.
