Opeth create petition to recognise Palladian Bridge in Bath as ‘Opeth Bridge’

When Opeth, Swedish metal powerhouse, released their second album, ‘Morningrise’ in 1996, the cover included what has now become the iconic Palladian bridge in Prior Park Landscape Garden in Bath. Its near unique design and history dating back to 1755 gives the bridge untold amounts of interest, but for the last 30 years the bridge has entered a new chapter of its history, the ‘Opeth chapter’.

For decades now, the bridge has become a symbol synonymous with ‘Morningrise’, so much so that fans now come from all over the world to Prior Park to find the bridge, photograph it and stand in the place they first encountered through the artwork of an album released thousands of miles away in Sweden. This bridge has well and truly earned a fresh wave of cultural significance from a group of metal fans that otherwise would have never set eyes on this palladian bridge.

Opeth and their army of fans have not set out to completely commandeer the bridge from the Prior Park or the National Trust, only to have it recognised as the newest chapter of this wonderful bridge’s life and bolster its continually evolving history. The bridge’s Georgian history and architectural importance will always be part of its story.

But heritage never stops accumulating. Over the last thirty years, an unexpected new chapter has been added: a Georgian bridge in Bath became part of the visual history of a Swedish metal band and, through that connection, became known to music fans across the world.

In April 2020, the first steps were taken to make the ‘Opeth bridge’ a concrete part of history. A fan started a change.org petition asking the National Trust to name the bridge the Opeth Bridge. Without an official campaign behind it, that petition went on to attract almost 1,000 verified signatures. Six years later, Opeth believes the time is right to pick up where the fans left off.

2026 marks 30 years since the release of ‘Morningrise’, in this year of anniversary the band will be creating a new official change.org petition asking the National Trust to officially recognise the connection between Opeth, Morningrise and Prior Park by giving the bridge the name fans have already been using for decades, The Opeth Bridge.

Morningrise Tracklisting

1. Advent
2. The Night and the Silent Water
3. Nectar
4. Black Rose Immortal
5. To Bid You Farewell

‘OPETH BRIDGE’ CHANGE.ORG PETITION