PHOTOS BEFORE THE GREAT WAR

These are the amazing colour postcards of the Princely county of Tyrol, an Alpine region of the Austro-Hungarian empire.

The extraordinary images show picturesque villages, some bustling with markets stalls others with quiet cafes.

Scenic lakes with a dramatic backdrop of mountains are often populated by fishermen and women. Whilst the winding roads are populated exclusively by horse and cart.

These are the amazing photographs taken in the Austrian Tyrol region more than a century ago before the First World War

This postcard shows the town of Brixlegg which is about 25 miles from the world famous skiing resort of Innsbruck 

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These are the amazing images which show some of the scenes in the Austrian Alps have barely changed in a century��

The photographs, such as this one of Bosen and Mendol were coloured using the Photochrom process invented in the 1880s

The colouring process was invented by a Swiss printer in the 1880s and used a tablet of lithographic limestone coated with a light-sensitive emulsion which was then exposed to sunlight under a photo negative for between 10 minutes to several hours

The Trisanna Bridge remains standing today although the main span and the trains have been upgraded 

Mount Surlon and Sorapis in Austria have barely changed in a century according to the modern photograph, right

What makes the pictures even more astonishing is the beautiful colours that bring them vividly to life.

The collection was captured 120 years ago, with the images being taken between 1890 and 1900, in what was then known as Austria-Hungary.Share

At the time Austria-Hungary was one of the world’s greatest powers and the second largest country in Europe.

At the time the pictures were taken, people living there did not know that their country was facing ruin because of the impending first world war.

The painstaking process took several hours to complete with the photographer having to take detailed notes of the scene

These photographs required more than a dozen lithographic limestone tablets so each of the coloured tints could be added 

Because of the long exposure times needed, these photographs normally captured landscapes rather than moving objects

This image features the lakeside town of Bregenz, while the mountains in the distance are in Switzerland 

This shows Croda Rossa near the frontier between Austria and Italy - which within 15 years would be near the front line 

This postcard features the town of Rankweil which was known as a place of pilgrimage on the River Rhine

The Photochrom process was developed as a better method of putting colour in a photograph rather than doing it by hand

This building today serves as a hostel for people climbing in the alps although you would hope the fence has been improved

The Photochrom process involved coating a lithographic limestone tablet with a photosensitive emulsion and exposing it to light under a photo negative.

The light causes the emulsion to harden in proportion to the tones of the negative forming a fixed lithographic image on the stone.

Additional stones are prepared for each tint to be used in the ultimate color image — a single postcard might require over a dozen.

The end product of this painstaking process is color images with a unique degree of authenticity for a time when true color photography was just being developed.

Here three people stand poorly surfaced roadway in the Austrian Tryol, long before the area had to deal with cars

This image features Lake Achensee which is six miles long and less than a mile wide and just south of the German frontier

The images are all held by the Library of Congress having been collected by a company from Detroit more than a century ago

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This shows the Orrtler Alps mountain range and the Trafoi ice wall in south Tyrol

The collection of photographs was taken when the Austro-Hungarian Empire was one of the most powerful in Europe

This photograph was taken in Italy with the Austrian alps in the background passing through Lake Durrensee

The Douglass Hut in Voralberg is on the shore of what was formally the highest Alpine lake in the region

Less than 15 years after these photographs had been taken the Austro-Hungarian empire had fallen following the war

One of the major changes between these images and the modern day are the complete lack of motorcars 

Despite the passing of a century the church in St. Christina, pictured looks very similar to the image from before

This image features the town of Steinach which was first mentioned in literature around 1242

This is another image of Lake Achensee featuring two men out fishing in a wooden boat a few hundred yards from shore 

This image shows the Brenner Railway in Gossensass - one of the first signs of modernity in any of the collection 

This shot overlooks a valley with alpine-style houses dotted along the riverside with houses all the way to the tree line

In a scene from more than a century ago, several horses and carriages are seen on the square 

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Here a small village has been built on the edge of a mountain stream with the mountains looming above the community

In this one, the photograph hiked up a mountain before taking his image of the snow covered peaks 

This image shows the completion of a building high up in the Alps with ladders and scaffolding at the side of the structure

This looks like a family sitting on a meadow looking out of the peaks in the distance on the far side of the forest

This photograph features Mieders, which is just south of Innsbruck in the Austrian Tyrol region

During the winter, some of the images would have needed several hours to get the correct exposure so they would work

In the summer, the images can be exposed within ten minutes - which would be a lifetime for the selfie generation

At the time these images were taken, Austria was one of the most powerful countries in Europe but lost its position in the war

BRINGING PICTURES TO LIFE: PHOTOCROM PROCESS

Invented by a Swiss printer in the 1880s, the Photocrom process began with coating a tablet of lithographic limestone with a light-sensitive emulsion, then exposing it to sunlight under a photo negative for between 10 to 30 minutes in summer or up to several hours in winter.

The emulsion would harden in proportion to the tones of the image and the less-hardened portions would be removed with a solvent, leaving a fixed lithographic image on the stone.

Following detailed notes on colour made by the original photographer, litho stones would be prepared for each tint to be used in the final color image. Often more than a dozen stones would be needed for a single postcard.

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The images were created using a painstaking special process over a number of hours to create the images

Each tint would then be applied, using separate stones with the appropriate retouched image. 

When completed, the delicate process produced surprisingly lifelike color with far greater precision than traditional hand-colouring.  

Despite the prints looking very similar to colour photographs when the pictures are viewed with a magnifying glass the small dots that make up the ink-based image can be seen. 

These early Photochrom prints were immensely popular especially because, although colour photography had been developed, it was still rare. 

The process was mainly used to print postcards which became particularly popular in the US after the US Congress passed a law in 1898 allowing private companies to print postcards, as opposed to the post office having a monopoly on them.  

They were sold at tourist sites and through mail order catalogs to travellers, tourists and photo collectors. 

The technique was popular around the world and there are hundreds of surviving Photocrom pictures from a range of countries including the US, France and England.

The past and the present is bridged in these images of London landmarks from the Museum of London Docklands. In a new exhibition opening on Friday, June 27, 16 photographs of London's bridges show 'then and now' views of the capital across the ages. The original photographs were taken in the late 19th and 20th centuries and have been merged with modern images. Francis Marshall, curator of Bridge at Museum of London Docklands, which runs until Sunday, November 2, said: 'Contrasting historic shots with those of today allows us to see how the city has changed over time. Or in some cases, how it has remained the same.' +16 Tower Bridge shot between 1903 - 1910 by Christina Broom shows the bridge structure has hardly changed. The image is on display at the Museum of London Docklands +16 Vauxhall Bridge photographed in 1928 by Albert Gravely Linney shows old carts merging with modern-day double decker buses while a motorboat powers through   +16 This hybrid image of Old Waterloo Bridge, taken in 1934 by Albert Gravely Linney shows the use of steam boats was prevalent in the 20th century +16 A hybrid image of Waterloo Bridge shot from Embankment between 1903 and 1910 by Christina Bloom shows the presence of St Paul's Cathedral on the skyline +16 This image of Tower Bridge, taken in the late 19th century, shows it still in construction while the ferries show how much boats have advanced over the years +16 This photograph of Tower Bridge, shot by Albert Gravely Linney in 1930, frames the dome of St Paul's Cathedral, which is still here to this day +16 Londoners from the present day walk across London Bridge and back into the past. The photograph was shot by Henry Turner in 1937 +16 Southwark Bridge shot in 1935 by Henry Turner. St Paul's Cathedral, built between 1675 - 1720, looms in the background showing how some things never change +16 Richmond Bridge, shot by an unknown photographer in the late 19th century remains a popular place where people still go boating to this day +16 Here this image of Richmond Bridge, taken in 1930 by Albert Gravely Linney, shows how time has changed over the years with the introduction of modern single decker buses +16 This photograph of London Bridge, taken in the 1920s by George Davison Reid shows that construction in the capital is showing no signs of slowing down +16 Hammersmith Bridge, photographed in 1955 by Sandra Flett, shows that wooden rowing boats remain as popular as ever +16 Charing Cross Railway Bridge, shot in the late 19th century by an unknown photographer, shows how the times have changed with horse and carts parked in the plaza +16 A hybrid image of London Bridge with familiar buildings like the Gherkin and the 'Walkie Talkie' building in the background, taken by an unknown photographer in the late 19th century +16 Albert Bridge photographed in the late 19th century shows the type of boats Londoners used to get around back then +16 A hybrid image of Blackfriars Bridge taken in the late 19th century shows how the bridge looks without the familiar lick of red paint

London's very first bridge might have been the work of the Romans but as these incredible images reveal, subsequent architects certainly weren't short of bright ideas. From the austere London Bridge, which sits on a site occupied by bridges for more than 2,000 years, to the gaudy crimson and cream steelwork of Blackfriars Bridge, many of the capital's bridges are works of art in their own right. Now, for the first time, London's 20 river crossings are to get a starring role in a new exhibition, Bridge, which explores the pivotal role they played over the centuries as well as their impact on the arts. +29 Turn of the century: Despite the lack of cars, John Rennie's London Bridge was a hive of people, carts and carriages as this photo taken in 1900 reveals +29 All change: London Bridge remains a busy place come rush hour but the bridge itself is relatively new: Rennie's bridge was replaced by the current one in 1972 +29 Striking: This George Davidson Reid photograph shows a trio of little girls and their father on Tower Bridge looking out over Upper Pool +29 Different view: The view from Tower Bridge has changed markedly since the 1950s and now includes the towering Shard, the UK's (and Europe's) tallest building +29 +29 Iconic: Henry Grant's photographs of the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Bridge (left) and Tower Bridge with its bascules raised were made in 1965 and 1973 +29 New look: Although the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Bridge look the same as they did during the Victorian period, all are lit up at night +29 Spruced up: Modern day Tower Bridge boasts a patriotic colour scheme and amazing views of the Tower of London and the Gherkin behind Featuring photos by James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Charles Ginner, William Raban and Lucinda Grange among others, the exhibition, at the Museum of London Docklands, also offers a snapshot of the changing face of the capital over the last 200 years. Earliest of all the photos is a rare snap taken by pioneering photographer William Henry Fox Talbot in 1845, which shows the original Isambard Kingdom Brunel Hungerford Bridge - demolished just 15 years after it was built. Fox Talbot invented the precursor to the modern camera and system of fixing photos that dominated the 19th and 20th centuries, until digital photography became pre-eminent in the early years of the 21st. He began developing his ‘calotype’ system in the 1830s but only published his work in 1839. Until 1845, methods of fixing an image were far from foolproof – and it wasn't until that year that he made his major breakthrough. Among Fox Talbot's first wave of successful 'calotypes' was a snap of Brunel’s Hungerford Bridge - originally built to serve the Hungerford Market on the north bank of the river, which had been set up by Sir Edward Hungerford in 1682 as a competitor to Covent Garden Market. +29 Rare: This 1845 salt print was taken by pioneering photographer William Henry Fox Talbot and shows Isambard Kingdom Brunel's Hungerford Bridge +29 New bridge: Isambard Kingdom Brunel's suspension bridge was knocked down 15 years after it was built and replaced with this heavier cast iron affair +29 Packed: Commuters flock across the newly rebuilt London Bridge after its grand opening by the Queen in 1973. The current bridge is the fifth version on the site. +29 Still busy! London Bridge remains a commuter short cut thanks to the presence of the nearby London Bridge Station +29 Under construction: A rare snap of Tower Bridge as it was being built. Although it looks medieval, the bridge is actually Victorian and opened in 1894 +29 All done: Tower Bridge, now complete, has swapped its chocolate brown Victorian paint job for a cheerful blue and cream one +29 Striking: Although Waterloo Bridge dominates the background of this 1869 photo, it was taken to chart the construction of the Metropolitan Line +29 Looking good: Named after the Duke of Wellington's famous victory over the French at Waterloo, Waterloo Bridge is now pristine and the Metropolitan Line complete +29 Beautiful: This 1955 photograph of Hammersmith Bridge was taken by Sandra Flett, a photographer who lived most of her life in nearby Chiswick +29 Similar: Hammersmith Bridge appears to have changed very little and this photo even shows that the prominent houseboats in the first picture remain in place At 1,462 feet long, the bridge was, at the time, one of the longest suspension bridges ever built, although Brunel, who was already working on several other projects when he took on the Hungerford Bridge work, appeared less than enthused by the project. An entry in his 1835 diary reads: ‘Suspension bridge across the Thames – I have condescended to be engineer of this, but I shan’t give myself much trouble about it. If done it will add to my stock of irons.’ Despite his lacklustre approach to the work, his bridge proved hugely successful but was later deemed inadequate to meet the demands of the newly opened Charing Cross Station by South Eastern Railway, who purchased it in 1859. The replacement, designed by Sir John Hawkshaw, opened in 1864 and was built using wrought iron lattice girders, which provided a more stable route in and out of Charing Cross station for the heavy iron steam trains then in their heyday. Eventful though its history is, Hungerford Bridge isn't the only bridge to have made its mark on the capital. Another that appears in several incarnations in the exhibition is London Bridge which has been demolished and rebuilt no fewer than five times, most recently in 1972. The very first bridge on the site was the work of the Romans who used it outflank the Britons waiting upriver at the main ford in AD70 and paved the way for the addition of England and Wales, Britannia as it was known to the Romans, to the Roman Empire. Later versions included a wooden bridge that was badly damaged during fighting between armies loyal to Anglo-Saxon king Ethelred the Unready and Viking king Canute in 1014, and the first stone version which was completed in 1209. As remembered in the nursery rhyme, part of this London Bridge really did fall down thanks to neglect on the part of the hugely unpopular Queen Eleanor of Castile who was given the bridge by her husband Henry III in 1249. +29 Calm before the storm: This 1937 shot shows London in the years leading up to World War II - much of the East End around Tower Bridge was destroyed in the Blitz +29 No change on this side! Looking at this modern photo of commuters streaming across London Bridge, little appears to have changed since the 1930s +29 Striking: This negative of Tower Bridge was made circa 1903 - 1910 by Christina Broom - the UK's first female press photographer +29 Pretty: This shot of Richmond Bridge in 1930 was taken by Albert Gravely Linney, editor of Port of London Authority Monthly Magazine, who took photos wherever he went +29 Still peaceful: Richmond Bridge has barely changed at all over the last century and remains a pretty, tranquil place to cross the Thames +29 Peaceful: This late 19th century image shows the serene Richmond Bridge - a far cry from the bustling crowds that flock onto the bridges downstream +29 +29 Busy: In the 1930s, the Thames was crammed with shipping as this 1935 photo (left) reveals. By the 1960s, it was the bridges, as in this Waterloo shot, that were packed +29 Old London Bridge: A 1929 photo of John Rennie's London Bridge, which now sits in Lake Havasu City in Arizona after being bought by the McCullogh Oil Company Later, the bridge was famously used to display the heads of traitors executed at the nearby tower, beginning with Scottish rebel William Wallace who was made an example of by Edward I 'Hammer of the Scots' in 1305. The medieval bridge stood for more than 600 years but in 1831, it was decided a new bridge was needed and a John Rennie design was chosen. Seven years later, the new London Bridge was opened by William IV and Queen Adelaide, but only lasted until the 1960s thanks to the increasing numbers of cars wanting to use it. Other bridges to appear include the iconic Tower Bridge, the new Hungerford Bridge and the even more modern Millennium Bridge. Vauxhall Bridge, which gets its name from a 13th century French mercenary employed by King John, who built 'Fulke's Hall' on the site, also stars in the show. Speaking about the new exhibition and the incredible Talbot calotype that appears in it, curator Francis Marshall said: 'I’m incredibly excited that visitors will have the opportunity to get up close to such a significant early photograph – taken at a time when the medium was still evolving. 'By contrasting the old barges in the foreground with the Brunel's new iron bridge, Fox Talbot highlights the technological advances of the 19th century. 'The photographic process he pioneered would dominate image-making for the next 150 years, until the dawn of digital photography. In a way, he is responsible for the way in which we see the world today. Ironically, Brunel’s bridge was demolished within fifteen years to make way for a railway crossing. 'This delicate salt print has never been out on public display before. Because of its age and the fact that Fox Talbot only perfected his process in 1845; we are not taking any unnecessary risks with it.' Bridge opens at the Museum of London Docklands on the 27th June and runs until the 2nd November. See museumoflondon.org for more information. ROYALS, REVOLUTIONS AND REVELRY: 10 THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT LONDON'S BRIDGES London's 20 bridges are a familiar sight to commuters and tourists who pass them every day but there's more to the capital's bridges than iron and steel. From the bridge with a paint job chosen by Queen Victoria to the river crossing that doubled as a market, London's bridges are as fascinating as its palaces. Tower Bridge is 244 metres long, covered in 22,000 litres of paint and crossed by 40,000 people each day. Now known for its bright colour, Tower Bridge was originally painted in Queen Victoria’s favourite colour – chocolate brown - but later went a dull grey so in 1976 was repainted in blue and white with touches of red and gold. Along with inspiring a nursery rhyme - London Bridge Is Falling Down - the Anglo-Saxon London Bridge also inspired a scene in a Norse saga. In the Olaf Sagas, the bridge is pillaged by Viking raiders. The first line in translation reads 'London Bridge is broken down'. The first stone version of London Bridge was built in 1209. Peter de Colechurch, priest of St Mary Colechurch, supervised the build. It took 30 years to build and up to 150 people died during construction. London Bridge was six storeys high by the 16th century and was a popular market but the bridge has also seen its share of trouble. In the 1450 uprising, Jack Cade and his followers threatened to set fire to the bridge. The drawbridge was opened, he was allowed to cross and a bloody battle played out on the bridge all night, eventually bringing an end to the uprising. London Bridge was also famously used to display the heads of traitors, beginning with William Wallace who was executed by Edward I 'Hammer of the Scots' in 1305. Others to get the treatment included rebels Wat Tyler and Jack Cade, and Henry VIII's former friend and chancellor, Sir Thomas More. Sir John Rennie's Southwark Bridge is the ‘iron bridge’ that appears in Charles Dickens’ Little Dorrit and Our Mutual Friend. The latter opens with Gaffer Hexham and Lizzie fishing bodies out of the Thames between London Bridge and Southwark Bridge. Little Dorrit loves walking over the ‘iron bridge’ because it is quiet and it is here that John Chivery proposes to her. During the construction of an underpass beneath Blackfriars Bridge in the 1960s, In the 1960s, the remains of a Roman ship dating from the first century AD were discovered in the Thames mud. Among the finds were a Roman copper coin blazoned with the goddess Fortuna, which had been placed under the ship’s mast to bring good luck to the ship and its crew. Waterloo Bridge is the longest in London and was opened by the Prince Regent (later George IV) on 18 June 1817, the second anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. The victorious Duke of Wellington accompanied the Prince Regent and the Duke of York in a procession across a bridge lined with Waterloo veterans. When Vauxhall Bridge was built in 1816, it was the first cast iron bridge constructed over the Thames. Vauxhall itself is named after a 13th century French mercenary and friend of King John, the bad monarch of Robin Hood fame, who built himself a manor close to the river. Known as Fulkes’ Hall, it gave its name to the area. Source: London’s Bridges by Peter Matthews +29 Present day: Suki Chan's 2011 shot was taken from a perch atop London Bridge Station and shows a lit up Tower Bridge on the right as well as miles of train track +29 Future: A visualisation of Thomas Heatherwick's possible new addition. Garden Bridge, if it gets planning permission, is scheduled to open in 2017

Medieval bridges that have lain hidden from view for a century under Rochdale town centre are set to be uncovered as part of a £4.2m project. The River Roch was the lifeblood of the town during the Industrial Revolution but has been covered since the 1920s when the seven bridges were joined to make what was the widest crossing in the world at the time. Now part of this underground labyrinth will be restored to its former glory, revealing one bridge that dates back to the 17th century. +6 The bridge which will be named the Rochdale Bridge once uncovered dates back 800 years and is still standing firm +6 It has formed part of a 90-year-old underground labyrinth since engineers in the 1920s covered the river in the town centre The project is part of an attempt to regenerate the town centre by creating a more attractive environment for residents and visitors. After a series a modern load-baring tests, engineers from Rochdale Council and the Environment Agency have established that the pre-1600s bridge meets modern safety standards and will be opened to the public and traffic. It is part of a £4.2m project which will see three sections of the culvert removed to reveal the multi-phased bridge on The Butts and the bottom of Yorkshire Street in the town centre. The river had become polluted and sludgy when the bridges were covered in the last century to make space for trams. One visitor who wrote about the Roch in 1857 described it as 'an imaginary stream in which there is nothing liquid but mud'. Now though there is a serious flood risk from the debris and litter which is becoming wedged in the tunnels. +6 Engineers from Rochdale Council have conducted load-baring tests and found that the bridge still stands up to modern standards +6 The river was originally covered as a way of combating pollution and smell which was blighting the town. Once built, Rochdale used the new wider bridge for trams The majority of funding for the project to uncover the bridges has already been secured and a final bid will be submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund in February. If successful, work could get under way in the spring with the river and bridge reopened by early 2015. John Percival from Rochdale council, who is leading the project, was among a group who went below the town centre this week to take a first-hand look at the 800-year-old bridge. He added: 'The plan is now to take away some sections of culvert and reveal the river and the historic bridges. 'We are going to introduce natural features back into the river that are under the culvert. 'The idea has been around for ages and we are looking at this in relation to the regeneration of the whole of Rochdale town centre.' +6 Council leader Colin Lambert said the bridge will be the 'crown jewel' of the town along with Rochdale Town Hall +6 Work could get under way in the spring with the river and bridge reopened by early 2015, if funding is secured Council leader Colin Lambert also believes revealing the bridge and river will be a big factor in the ongoing redevelopment of the town centre. He said: 'We are bringing 800 years of history right back into the modern era. This will be the crown jewel of the town along with Rochdale Town Hall. 'It will bring a big chunk of pride back to Rochdale.' Earlier this year the council, in partnership with in partnership with English Heritage and the Royal Institute of British Architects, launched a design competition asking for architects to draw up plans for the area around the reopened river.