As old as mankind itself, bridges have been around for millennia. Ever since we have been trying to cross rivers, lakes, gorges, mountains or any other natural feature, we have been using bridges to do so. Needless to say the design and size of bridges have changed dramatically over the course of time. While the very first bridges made by humans were simple spans of cut wooden logs or planks and eventually stones, eventually they became exceedingly complex. In fact, some of the bridges became stunning architectural jewels that were able to reach incredible dimensions and shapes. These days, we have monumental bridges that span seas and oceans, soar above jungles and connect cities, countries and even continents. For today´s post, we have searched high and low to compile a list featuring some of the most outstanding bridges that have ever been built. Some of them have been around for centuries and some are just a few years old but all of the bridges you are about to see are remarkable examples of bridge engineering. From the medieval Ponte Vecchio Bridge in Florence to the futuristic Helix Bridge in Singapore and the iconic Brooklyn Bridge in New York City, check out these 25 Of The World’s Most Impressive Bridges.
25
Ponte Vecchio, Florence, Italy
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: commons.wikimedia.org
Built over the Arno River in Florence, Ponte Vecchio is a Medieval stone closed-spandrel segmental arch bridge noted for still having shops built along it, as it was once common. With a length of 30 meters (100 feet), it is the only bridge of its kind in Florence to survive the World War II bombing.
24
Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, Kobe, Japan
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: commons.wikimedia.org
Also known as the Pearl Bridge, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge is a suspension bridge in Japan, which links the city of Kobe on the Japanese mainland of Honshu to Iwaya on the Awaji Island. Since its completion in 1998, the bridge has had the longest central span of any suspension bridge in the world, at 1,991 m (6,532 ft).
23
Charles Bridge, Prague, Czech Republic
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: commons.wikimedia.org
Built in the 14th century to replace the old Judith Bridge, the Charles Bridge is a massive sandstone bridge crossing the Vltava River in the heart of Prague. Decorated by 30 unique statues and statuaries, the bridge is a major tourist site and one of the most astonishing civil gothic-style constructions in the world.
22
Octavio Frias de Oliveira Bridge, Sao Paolo, Brazil
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: commons.wikimedia.org
Named after Octavio Frias de Oliveira, a prominent Brazilian businessman, the Octavio Frias de Oliveira Bridge is a large cable-stayed bridge built over the Pinheiros River in Sao Paolo. The bridge is 138 m (453 ft) tall, and connects Marginal Pinheiros to Jornalista Roberto Marinho Avenue in the south area of the city.
21
Pont du Gard, Vers Pont du Gard, France
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: commons.wikimedia.org
Located near the town of Vers-Pont-du-Gard, South France, the Pont du Gard bridge is an ancient Roman aqueduct that was built in the first century AD. Crossing the Gardon River, the bridge was added to the UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites in 1985 because of its unique historical importance.
20
Brooklyn Bridge, New York City, USA
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: commons.wikimedia.org
Connecting the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River in New York City, the Brooklyn Bridge is one of the most famous bridges in the world. Since its opening in 1883, the bridge has become one of the most iconic features of New York City, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964.
19
Helix Bridge, Singapore
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: flickr.com
Inspired by the shape of DNA, the Helix Bridge is a super-modern pedestrian bridge linking Marina Centre with Marina South in the Marina Bay area in Singapore. Completed in 2010, the 280 m (919 ft) long bridge is fabricated from approximately 650 tons of Duplex Stainless Steel and 1,000 tons of carbon steel.
18
U Bein Bridge, Amarapura, Myanmar
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: flickr.com
Built around 1850, the U Bein Bridge is a 1.2 km (0.75 mi) long bridge spanning the Taungthaman Lake near Amarapura in Central Myanmar. Featuring 1,086 pillars that stretch out of the water, the U Bein Bridge is believed to be the oldest and longest teakwood bridge in the world.
17
Moses Bridge, Halsteren, Netherlands
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: flickr.com
A part of the Fort de Roovere, a moat entrenchment near Halsteren, South Netherlands, the Moses Bridge is a unique wooden bridge that appears to divide the moat´s water. Constructed entirely of wood waterproofed with foil, the bridge allows people to cross virtually undetected at water level.
16
Donghai Bridge, Shanghai, China
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: commons.wikimedia.org
Completed in 2005, the Donghai Bridge connects mainland Shanghai’s Pudong New Area with the offshore Yangshan Deep-Water Port in Eastern China. With its impressive total length of 32.5 kilometers (20.2 miles), the bridge ranks among the longest cross-sea bridges in the world.
15
Cornish–Windsor Covered Bridge, Cornish, USA
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: commons.wikimedia.org
Built in 1866, the Cornish–Windsor Covered Bridge is a wooden bridge that spans the Connecticut River between Cornish, New Hampshire and Windsor, Vermont. It was the longest covered bridge still standing in the United States until the Smolen–Gulf Bridge opened in Ohio in 2008.
14
Bosphorus Bridge, Istanbul, Turkey
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: commons.wikimedia.org
Also known as the First Bridge, the Bosphorus Bridge is one of two suspension bridges spanning the Bosphorus strait in Istanbul, thus connecting Europe and Asia. With its length of 1,560 m (5,118 ft), the Bosphorus Bridge was the fourth-longest suspension bridge span in the world upon its completion in 1973.
13
Trift Bridge, Gadmen, Switzerland
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: commons.wikimedia.org
Spanning the lake Triftsee near the town of Gadmen, Central Switzerland, the Trift Bridge is the longest pedestrian-only suspension bridge in the Swiss Alps. Suspended at a height of 100 meters (330 feet), the bridge receives about 20,000 visitors every year to see the Trift Glacier, a popular tourist attraction.
12
Banpo Bridge, Seoul, South Korea
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: commons.wikimedia.org
Connecting the Seocho and Yongsan districts in downtown Seoul, the Banpo Bridge is one of the most prominent features of the city. Measuring 1,495 meters (4,905 feet) in length, the bridge is particularly famous for hosting the Moonlight Rainbow Fountain – the world´s longest bridge fountain.
11
Howrah Bridge, Howrah, India
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: commons.wikimedia.org
Suspended over the Hooghly River in West Bengal, India, the Howrah Bridge is a large cantilever bridge commissioned in 1943. With its daily traffic of approximately 100,000 vehicles and possibly more than 150,000 pedestrians, it is the busiest cantilever bridge in the world.
10
Oresund Bridge, Malmo, Sweden
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: flickr.com
The longest combined road and rail bridge in Europe, the Oresund Bridge connects two major metropolitan areas: Copenhagen, the Danish capital city, and the Swedish city of Malmo. Measuring almost 8 km (26,000 ft) in length, the bridge starts out as a bridge in Sweden and ends up as a tunnel in Denmark.
9
Tower Bridge, London, UK
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: commons.wikimedia.org
Crossing the River Thames close to the Tower of London in downtown London, the Tower Bridge is one the most famous bridges in the world and a London´s iconic landmark. Completed in 1894, this combined bascule and suspension bridge consists of two bridge towers tied together at the upper level by two horizontal walkways.
8
Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux, France
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: commons.wikimedia.org
Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas is a vertical-lift bridge over the Garonne River in Bordeaux, France. Inaugurated in 2013 by the French President François Hollande, it is the longest vertical-lift bridge in Europe. Named in honor of Jacques Chaban-Delmas, a former Prime Minister of France, the bridge is made from concrete and steel.
7
Russky Bridge, Vladivostok, Russia
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: commons.wikimedia.org
Built across the Eastern Bosphorus strait to serve the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference that took place in Vladivostok in 2012, the Russky Bridge is the world’s longest cable-stayed bridge. The bridge also has the second highest pylons after the Millau Viaduct in France and it has the longest cable stays.
6
Magdeburg Water Bridge, Magdeburg, Germany
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: commons.wikimedia.org
Opened in 2003, the Magdeburg Water Bridge is a large navigable aqueduct near Magdeburg in central Germany. Connecting the Mittellandkanal and Elbe-Havel Canal on the Elbe River, the bridge allows large commercial ships to pass between the Rhineland and Berlin without having to descend into and then climb out of the Elbe itself.
5
Royal Gorge Bridge, Canon City, USA
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: commons.wikimedia.org
Built in 1929, the Royal Gorge bridge is a tourist attraction near Canon City, Colorado, within the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park theme park. Crossing the Royal Gorge 955 ft (291 m) above the Arkansas River, the bridge held the record of highest bridge in the world from 1929 until 2001, when it was surpassed by the Liuguanghe Bridge in China.
4
Allahverdi Khan Bridge, Isfahan, Iran
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: commons.wikimedia.org
Popularly known as “Si-o-seh pol” (the bridge of 33 spans), the Allahverdi Khan Bridge is one of 11 bridges found in the city of Isfahan, Iran and the longest bridge on Zayandeh River with a total length of almost 300m (980 ft). At night, when all the arches are lit up, the bridge throws breathtaking reflections on the river below.
3
Sydney Harbor Bridge, Sydney, Australia
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: commons.wikimedia.org
Nicknamed “The Coathanger” because of its arch-based design, the Sydney Harbor Bridge is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbor that connects the Sydney Central Business District and the North Shore. Located next to the famous Sydney Opera House, the bridge is an iconic landmark of both Sydney and Australia.
2
Cize–Bolozon Viaduct, Cize, France
Source: en.wikipedia.org, image: commons.wikimedia.org
The Cize–Bolozon Viaduct is a combination rail and vehicular viaduct crossing the Ain gorge in Eastern France and connecting the towns of Cize and Bolozon. As the original span built in the same location in 1875 was destroyed in World War II, a new viaduct reopened here in May 1950.
1
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, USA
Source and image: en.wikipedia.org
Spanning the Golden Gate strait, a channel between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean, the Golden Gate Bridge is generally considered one of the most famous, beautiful and photographed bridges in the world. At a length of 2,737 m (almost 9,000 ft), the bridge is recognized as a symbol of San Francisco, California and the United States.