Famous Bridges from Around the World
Bridges are very practical structures. They help make our lives easier. Some bridges have gained notoriety and fame because of their innovative design, their association with their geographic location or their connection to history. Here are some of the most famous bridges from around the world.
Tower Bridge
Located in London, England, Tower Bridge is one of the most iconic landmarks in the UK. Built between 1884 - 1894, this bridge took 5 major contractors and 432 construction workers laboring every single day to complete. Tower Bridge is built of steel. When it was completed, it was the largest and most sophisticated bascule bridge in the world.
Brooklyn Bridge
A mix between a cable-stayed and a suspension bridge, the Brooklyn Bridge spans the East River between Brooklyn and Manhattan in New York. It has been featured in hundreds of movies and is an icon of New York City. The Brooklyn Bridge was also built in the 19th century and is 6,016 feet long. Taking 14 years and $15 million to build, this bridge currently carries 150,000 vehicles and New Yorkers every single day.
Golden Gate Bridge
Built to connect the San Francisco Bay area with Marin County in the 1930s, the Golden Gate Bridge was deemed the “impossible bridge”. Spanning such a wide body of water, this bridge broke the boundaries within the bridge-building world. The first project in the United States to mandate the wearing of hard hats, this particular structure was one-of-a-kind in so many ways.
Chapel Bridge
Located in Lucerne, Switzerland, the Chapel Bridge is the oldest wooden covered bridge in all of Europe. It was built in the 1300s to help fortify the city. There is a tower attached to the bridge. This tower has been used as a prison, a torture chamber and an archive building. The interior of the bridge features paintings depicting the history of Lucerne. A fire in 1993 damaged more than half of the paintings.
Rialto Bridge
The oldest bridge in the city of Venice, the Rialto Bridge is a work of Italian art. Built in the 16th century, the “Ponte di Rialto” was the only way to cross Venice’s Grand Canal on foot until 1854. Some architects argue that the intrinsic design work and arched walkways (which are used as stores and shopping markets) make it an “8th miracle of the world”. Others believe that it looks clunky, even ungraceful. Whatever your opinion on this bridge, it is an incredible tourist attraction with more than 30 million visitors every year.
Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge
The Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge is the longest bridge in the world. Located in China, this bridge is over 100 miles long. It runs from Shanghai to Nanjing. It was built in 4 years and cost $8.5 billion to build. More than 10,000 workers were hired for construction. Because of its location, this bridge was specifically designed to withstand typhoons and magnitude 8 earthquakes. This bridge makes it clear how far technology and engineering have come.
Most Famous Bridges
Bridges carry us over valleys, across bodies of water and help us travel with ease. The history of bridges makes it clear that we have depended on these structures to help us move for thousands of years. These are just some of the most noteworthy bridges to date. Who knows what future bridges will look like.
