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© History Oasis / Created via Midjourney
We’ve put together a list of some of the most famous bridges in history from all around the world.
When completed in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge revolutionized suspension bridge design. Its lead engineer, Washington Roebling, directed construction for 14 years through a telescope from his apartment after becoming paralyzed with decompression sickness.
After its 1937 completion, the Golden Gate Bridge became synonymous with San Francisco’s identity. Its “International Orange” color was originally meant to be just a primer before the Navy’s proposed black and yellow stripes for visibility in fog.
London’s Tower Bridge has raised its central bascule spans over 500,000 times since 1894, including an emergency lift in 1952 when bus driver Albert Gunter made a split-second decision to accelerate and jump a three-foot gap as the bridge began rising.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge connected Sydney’s shores in 1932. During its opening ceremony, Francis de Groot upstaged the official ribbon-cutting by charging on horseback to slash the ribbon with his sword “in the name of decent citizens.”
Florence’s Ponte Vecchio has spanned the Arno River since 1345, surviving WWII only because Hitler personally ordered it spared during the German army’s offensive, which destroyed all the other bridges in the area.
Venice’s Rialto Bridge has dominated the Grand Canal since 1591. Engineers at the time predicted its innovative single-span design would catastrophically collapse within years of construction.
The Akashi Kaikyō Bridge is the world’s longest suspension bridge, stretching across Japan’s Akashi Strait. Engineers had to redesign it mid-construction when the 1995 Kobe earthquake moved its partially built foundations nearly three feet farther apart.
The Millau Viaduct is the world’s tallest bridge, soaring above France’s Tarn Valley. It was designed with such aerodynamic precision that its concrete deck can withstand winds up to 153 mph yet moves up to 3 feet laterally during strong storms.
Scotland’s Forth Bridge, completed in 1890, pioneered cantilever construction. It was so overengineered after the nearby Tay Bridge disaster that 57 metric tons of paint were required to cover its surface.
The Gateshead Millennium Bridge tilts like a blinking eye to allow river traffic in Newcastle. It achieves this remarkable rotation using only the energy equivalent of boiling eight household kettles despite weighing 850 tons.
After its completion in 1849, the Széchenyi Chain Bridge united Buda and Pest into one city. A legend claims the stone lions guarding the bridge have no tongues, prompting the sculptor to commit suicide when mocked, but examination proves the lions indeed have tongues.
Iran’s Khaju Bridge has been used as both a crossing and a concert hall since 1650. Its steps were designed to amplify sound through acoustic engineering that predates modern science by centuries.
Bosnia’s Stari Most stood for 427 years until it was deliberately destroyed during the 1993 Bosnian War. According to legend, its original Ottoman architect, Mimar Hayruddin, prepared for his funeral before removing the scaffolding, fearing execution if the ambitious design failed.
The Charles Bridge has connected Prague’s districts since 1402. Its foundation stone was laid at precisely 5:31 AM on July 9, 1357, creating the numerical palindrome 1-3-5-7-9-7-5-3-1, believed to give the bridge mystical strength.
Spain’s Alcántara Bridge has spanned the Tagus River since 106 CE. Its Latin inscription boldly proclaims, “I have built a bridge which will last forever.” This boast has proven remarkably accurate despite numerous attempts to destroy it throughout history.
The Iron Bridge in Shropshire, built in 1781, revolutionized construction technology as the world’s first major iron bridge. However, its innovative design proved financially disastrous, with toll receipts never covering its enormous construction cost.
The Si-o-se-pol has been crossing Isfahan’s Zayandeh River since 1602. It was built with water channels beneath its 33 spans, creating a natural air conditioning system that kept pedestrians cool during scorching Iranian summers.
Kolkata’s Howrah Bridge has carried traffic since 1943 without using a single bolt or nut, using over 2 million rivets instead. A 2007 study revealed it was dissolving due to pedestrians spitting betel juice on its structure.
Rome’s Ponte Sant’Angelo has connected the city to Castel Sant’Angelo since 134 CE. But in 1450, its balustrades collapsed during a papal jubilee celebration, causing hundreds of pilgrims to fall into the Tiber River and drown.
China’s Chengyang Bridge has stood without a single nail since 1916. It was built entirely using dovetail joints and mortise-and-tenon techniques by Dong tribal carpenters who mastered complex architectural principles but couldn’t read or write.
Switzerland’s Kapellbrücke has crossed Lucerne’s Reuss River since 1333 as Europe’s oldest wooden covered bridge. But a discarded cigarette in 1993 destroyed two-thirds of its medieval-painted panels and nearly burned the entire structure down.
Since 1900, the Pont Alexandre III has exemplified Parisian elegance. Four 17-meter granite columns are topped by gilt bronze sculptures of Fames restraining Pegasus, symbolizing restraint in engineering ambition despite the bridge’s revolutionary thin arch design.
When completed in 1977, West Virginia’s New River Gorge Bridge reduced a 45-minute mountain drive to less than a minute. It uses special weathering steel that forms its own protective coating, eliminating the need for painting by intentionally rusting.
The Anji Bridge, the world’s oldest open-spandrel stone arch bridge, has spanned China’s Xiao River since 605 CE. Its ingenious design allows floodwaters to pass through multiple small arches, making it withstand 1,400 years of floods and earthquakes.
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