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Throughout the ages, man has been using architecture
to bridge the gaps between physical obstacles, for the purpose of
providing an easy passage. Most of these bridges are also regarded as
landmarks and are a vital part of the infrastructures of regions around
the world. Some have even become city icons because of their influence
and engineering wonder. Below is a list of the most famous bridges in
the world.
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Brooklyn Bridge
Completed in 1883, Brooklyn Bridge connects Manhattan and Brooklyn by
spanning the East River. At the time it opened, and for several
years, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world and it
has become a famous and iconic landmark of New York. The bridge has a
wide pedestrian walkway open to walkers and cyclists. This walkway takes
on a special importance in times of difficulty when usual means of
crossing the East River have become unavailable as happened during
several blackouts and most famously after the September 11, 2001,
attacks. |
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Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate,
the strait between San Francisco and Marin County to the north.
The masterwork of architect Joseph B. Strauss, whose statue graces the
southern observation deck, the bridge took seven years to build, and was
completed in 1937. The Golden Gate Bridge was the longest suspension
bridge span in the world when it was completed, and has become one of
the most popular tourist attractions in San Francisco and California.
Since its completion, the span length has been surpassed by eight other
bridges. The famous red-orange color of the bridge was specifically
chosen to make the bridge more easily visible through the thick
fog that frequently shrouds the bridge. |
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Ponte Vecchio
The Ponte Vecchio (literally “old bridge”) is a Medieval bridge over the
Arno River in Florence; the only Florentine bridge to survive WW2.
The bridge is famous for still having shops built along it, as was
common in the days of the Medici. Butchers initially occupied the shops;
the present tenants are jewelers, art dealers and souvenir sellers. It
is said that the economic concept of bankruptcy originated here: when a
merchant could not pay his debts, the table on which he sold his wares
(the “banco”) was physically broken (“rotto”) by soldiers, and
this practice was called “bancorotto” (broken table). |
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Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, over
the River Thames. It is close to the Tower of London, which gives
it its name and has become an iconic symbol of London. Construction
started in 1886 and took eight years to build. The bridge consists of
two towers which are tied together at the upper level by means of two
horizontal walkways which are designed to withstand the forces of the
suspended sections of the bridge. |
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Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of Australia’s most well known and
photographed landmarks. It is the world’s largest (but not the
longest) steel arch bridge with the top of the bridge standing 134
meters (440 feet) above Sydney Harbour. It took eight years to build and
opened in March 1932. Because the steel expands or contracts depending
on whether it is hot or cold the bridge is not completely stationary and
can rise or fall up to 18 cm (7.1 inch).
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Oresund Bridge
Oresund Bridge to Sweden leaving the island where Peberholm continue
with a tunnel, Tunnel Drogden up in Denmark. Each of these three
sections is a great technical achievement. The bridge itself, supported
by cables, with the 7845 m long, is one of the largest buildings of its
kind in the world with the largest opening (490 m) between the two legs
that weighs 82,000 tons per meter. Although the ship traffic in the area
takes place on the tunnel, the highest pillar is 204 m at the top is a
four lane road that passes under a railway double the average height of
the bridge is 57 meters Peberholm Island there is a shift from the
bridge to the tunnel. Peberholm is an artificial island built for this
purpose, over 2 km long and several hundred meters wide, unpopulated,
which belongs to Denmark. Drogden Tunnel starts from the middle of the
island and after crossing the 3510 m under the sea, it continues with
two tunnels of 270 m on land. Reason for which was built in place of the
tunnel is another bridge that was too close to Copenhagen Airport.
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Coronado Bridge
The San Diego-Coronado Bridge, locally referred to as the Coronado
Bridge, is a “prestressed concrete/steel” girder bridge, crossing over
San Diego Bay in the United States, linking San Diego with Coronado,
California.The bridge is signed as part of State Route 75.The
11,179-foot-long (3,407 m or 2.1 mi) bridge ascends from Coronado at a
4.67 percent grade before curving 80 degrees toward San Diego. The span
reaches a maximum height of 200 feet (61m), allowing the U.S. Navy ships
which operate out of the nearby Naval Station San Diego to pass
underneath it. The five-lane bridge featured the longest box girder in
the world until it was surpassed by a bridge in Chongqing, China in
2008. The bridge doesn’t form a direct path to Coronado, but rather has
a curve. This was done so it would be high enough for all U.S. Navy
ships to pass underneath but not too steep for vehicles to ascend and
descend.
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Millau Viaduct
Located in southern France, the Millau Viaduct is the world’s tallest
bridge (one masts summit is 1,125 feet) and the world’s longest
cable-stayed deck. Completed in 2004, it cost around €400 million.
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Chengyang Bridge
Chengyang Bridge (also known as Wind and Rain Bridge) was built in 1916,
and it is the most famous among the wind and rain bridges in the Dong
Minority Region in China. The bridge stretches across the Linxi River
and it still in heavy use. It is constructed of wood and stone without
nails or rivets and is the largest of all the wind and rain bridges. It
is 64.4 meters long, 3.4 meters wide and 10.6 meters high.
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Banpo Bridge
The Banpo Bridge spans the Han River in Soul, South Korea. It forms the
top of a double deck by laying over top of the Jamsu Bridge, which is
sometimes closed due to high water levels. In 2008 a 10,000 nozzle
fountain was added to the Banpo Bridge, pumping water from the river
below. The fountains have increased popularity of the bridge with
tourists.
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