Do you want to know what are the Most Famous Bridges in the World? If yes then you are at the right place. We have brought this list of 15 Most Famous and Beautiful Bridges in the World.
Bridges are one of the most important man-made super-structures that are constructed to remove the physical disparities such as water beds, hills, mountains, and many other terrains where it isn’t an easy task to reach through roads. The concept of building bridges is far older. However, the designs and the structures have been changed frequently as per the technologies.
Here are some of the greatest man-made bridges that are known as the most famous bridges in the World for their architectural design, vulnerability to hold traffic, and beauty of nature made within.
Famous Bridges in the World
- MILLAU VIADUCT: There is no other bridge in the world that has caught the attraction in the world than Millau Viaduct. The tallest bridge with a height of 343 meters is designed by French engineer Michel Virlogeux and British architect Norman Foster. Its official name is Le Viaduc de Millau streched over the valley of Tarn in Millau-Creissels, France. It’s a cable-stayed bridge that carries 4 lanes having a width of 32.05 meters and a length of 2460 meters. it cost around 394 million euros and took approximately 3.5 years to complete.
- VASCO DA GAMA BRIDGE: Name after the famous explorer Vasco Da Gama, the bridge is stationed in Lisbon, Portugal connecting Sacavem to the southern banks of the river at Montijo. Built-in 1998, the bridge is the longest in the world stretching across the Tagus River in Lisbon. It’s a cable-stayed bridge that is 12.345 kilometers long, 30 meters wide, and having a height of 148 meters. It’s officially called Ponte Vasco Da Gama that can withstand the speed of 250 km/h. It is one of the magnificent megastructures ever built.
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- LUPU BRIDGE: It is the first-ever steel bridge made in the world in June 2003. It is the second-largest arch bridge in the world with a span of 550 meters. It resides over the Huangpu River, Shanghai, China with a length of 3.9 km, a width of 28.7 meters, and a height of 100 meters. It has been designed by Shanghai Municipal Engineering Design Institute that cost around US $302 million. It is the first arch bridge designed ever, made completely of steel for motorway and freeway transportation.
- SERI WAWASAN BRIDGE: A magnificent structure built in Putrajaya, Malaysia in 2003. Designed by PJSI Consultants and constructed by Perbadanan Putrajaya. It is a futuristic cable-stayed bridge that has an inclined sailing sheep appearance. It is 240 meters long, and 37.2 meters wide that carries motor vehicles and pedestrians. Its major attraction is its design which is unique to other cable-stayed bridges. Its 21 pairs of cables and steel structure tie the bridge to its place and can withstand heavy wind blows.
- PONT DU GARD AQUEDUCT: A marvelous construction of the past century, Pont de Gard resides over the banks of Gardon River in Gard, France. Made by Romans during their regime is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that stretches over 360 meters and a width of 6.4 meters. The construction began in 40AD and ended in around 60AD. The whole bridge is in a shape of an arch, made specifically of limestone. The structure was badly damaged during the wars in the 5th-century but later was restored in 1743. It is one of the major tourist destination places in France.
- TOWER BRIDGE OF LONDON: The most famous bridge of all time is the Tower Bridge of London constructed over the River Thames. Built-in the late 19th century, the bridge was constructed by Sir John Wolfe Barry and Sir Horace Jones with the help of steel, granite, and concrete. It is the major attraction in London and a place for making a wish for loved ones. Its length is 244 meters with a height of 65 meters. The concept of the bridge is Bascules Bridges i.e suspension bridges. The bridge itself has a hydraulic system to lift it in case of passing off ships.
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- HANGZHOU BAY BRIDGE: The longest ocean-crossing bridge ever built in the world is placed in China. It is a cable-stayed bridge that stretches over 35.6 km with a span of 448 meters. It took a decade for experts to design this humongous bridge as it was to be built on Hangzhou Bay. It is built to withstand high waves, speedy winds, and earthquakes. It consists of 6 lanes to accumulate traffic. It began in 2003 and got constructed fully in June 2007.
- AKASHI KAIKYO BRIDGE: Also known as The Pearl Bridge of Japan is the longest bridge in Japan. It crosses over Akashi Strait with 6 lanes on the top of coordinate the traffic. It is one of the longest suspension bridges that has a length of 3.9 km and a height of 288 meters. The has a design of Suspension Bridges, designed by Satoshi Kashima in 1988 and got completed for public use in 1998. It required 350000 tones of concrete and a steel cable of 300000 km. It cost around US$ 3.6 billion.
- SUNNIBERG BRIDGE: A curved multi-span extradosed bridge located in eastern Switzerland. It is built above the Landquart River with a total length of 526 meters and a width of 12.37 meters. It was constructed in 1998 by architect Andrea Deplazes and designer Christian Menn. This bridge is a tourist attraction for its unique inverted pillar design. It cost around Swiss Franc 17 million to complete it.
- SZECHENYI CHAIN BRIDGE: A beautiful Budapest masterpiece is a Szechenyi Chain Bridge. It a major tourist attraction from all over the world located above the Danube River, Budapest. It was built in 1849 by William Tierney Clark. It’s 375 meters long and 14.8 meters wide with a span of 202 meters. It is designed as a chain suspension bridge made of wrought iron and stones with 2 road lanes.
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- THE HELIX BRIDGE: It’s a pedestrian-carrying bridge cross over Mariana Bay in Singapore. The spiral look made of stainless steel gives it a unique design and appearance. Walking on it at the night gives a beautiful view of Mariana Bay with the view of many skyscrapers. This bridge is stretched over 280 meters long constructed in 2007. At present, it is owned by Urban Redevelopment Authority, Singapore.
- THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE: One of the most famous bridges in the world is The Brooklyn Bridge of New York, USA. It was designed as a Suspension cable-stayed hybrid bridge that crosses over the East River. Built-in 1869-1883 by New York Bridge Company. Earlier it was the longest suspension bridge with a length of 1833 meters, a width of 25.9 meters, and a height of 82.9 meters. It is a historic landmark and an iconic structure in New York.
- PONTE VECCHIO: Situated in Florence, Italy, is the oldest bridge in Florence constructed in the 16th century, designed by Giorgio Vasari and Taddeo Gaddi. It is located above the Arno River, designed as a closed-spandrel segmental stone arch bridge. Earlier it was a defensive bridge but later shops and other visiting areas were developed. It is 30 meters long and 32 meters wide.
- SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE: Australian Heritage list Sydney Harbour Bridge is the most attractive and famous bridge in the world. It is located over Sydney Harbour and gives a beautiful view of sunrise and sunset. It is 1149 meters long and 48.8 meters wide. It starts from Dawes Point and ends on Milsons Point. It is designed as an arch bridge made of steel and concrete. It started in 1923 and took 9 years to get completed by Dorman Long & Co.
- THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE: The most iconic bridge ever built in the world is the Golden Gate Bridge of San Fransisco, USA. It stretched over a 1.6 km strait connecting San Fransisco and the Pacific Ocean. It is an ultimate work of engineering by Joseph Strauss and Charles Ellis. It began in 1933 and ended in April 1937. It is 2737 meters long, 27.4 meters wide, and 227.4 meters in height. It has 6 lanes including pedestrians and bicycles. Many people visit this bridge to look at its astonishing view of the pacific and sunsets.
Man has grown to be so amazing with making constructions, that sometimes it is unbelievable to accept that mortals can create something so difficult and yet so beautiful in one lifetime. And yet we do. These bridges are some amazing examples of human capability in constructing complex structures. Visit as many as you can from this list to witness the greatness. This was our pick for the most Famous and Amazing Bridges of our world.
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