Which bridge is the widest in the world. The largest and most beautiful bridges in the world How the largest bridges in the world are built

This list includes the ten longest bridges in the world built across bodies of water. I hope you find it informative. Enjoy reading.

WEST Gate – 2582.6 meters

WEST Gate Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge in Melbourne, Australia. It crosses the Yarra River and serves as an important link between the inner city industrial suburbs and the city of Geelong. This is one of the busiest road corridors in Australia. The height of the bridge above the water is 58 meters and its length is about 2.5 kilometers.

Third Mainland – 11.8 km


Third Mainland is the longest of the three bridges connecting seaport Lagos in Nigeria with the mainland. This is the longest bridge in Africa. It was built and opened to traffic in 1990. Its length is about 11.8 km.

Rio Niteroi – 13.29 km


Rio Niteroi is also known as the President Costa e Silva Bridge. Located on Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It connects the municipalities of Rio de Janeiro and Niteroi. The length of the bridge is 13,290 meters.

Penang Bridge – 13.5 km


The Penang Bridge connects the town of Gelugor on Penang Island with the mainland of Penang State - Seberang Perai on the Malacca Peninsula. Construction began in 1982, and the opening of the bridge took place on September 14, 1985. Its length is 13.5 km.

Vasco da Gama – 17.2 km


Vasco da Gama is a cable-stayed bridge that was built in 1998 over the Tagus River northeast of Lisbon (Portugal). It is considered the longest bridge in Europe, its length is 17.2 km.

Incheon – 21.38 km


Incheon - a bridge located in South Korea. It was built in October 2009. It extends over a distance of about 21.3 km. Serves as a link between Songdo and international airport Incheon.

King Fahd Bridge – 25 km


This bridge is named after the king Saudi Arabia, Fahd ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud. It has four lanes, 25 kilometers long. It was completed in 1986. It took 15 years and approximately $1.2 billion to build. From the point of view of trade and commerce, the structure is of great importance - it connects Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Manchac Swamp – 36.69 km


Manchac Swamp is a bridge located in Louisiana, USA. Its length is about 36.6 km. Construction of MANCHAC SWAMP was completed in 1970. Considered the busiest bridge in the United States.

Causeway Bridge over Lake Pontchartrain – 38.42 km


This bridge is located over Lake Pontchartrain. Connects the towns of Metairie and Mandeville. The length of the bridge is about 38.4 km.

He is considered one of oldest bridges in the world, because the idea of ​​​​building it arose in the 19th century, but construction began in 1948 and was completed in 1956. Interestingly, the bridge is supported by more than 9,000 concrete piles.

Qingdao Bridge – 42.5 km


Qingdao Bridge is located above northern part Jiaozhou Bay. Connects the city of Qingdao with the suburban industrial area of ​​Huangdao. Its length is approximately 42.5 kilometers. The bridge took 4 years to build and was completed in 2011.

The Qingdao Bridge will also soon cease to be the longest bridge built across water spaces, since in December 2009 work began on the almost 50-kilometer Macau-Zhuhai-Hong Kong bridge across the Pearl River estuary in southern China.

Hangzhou, China

This one is recognized as the longest road bridge in the world, because its length is thirty-six kilometers. This transoceanic structure reduced the distance between Ningbo and Shanghai by three hundred and twenty kilometers. Such a large-scale construction made a huge contribution to transport infrastructure China.

2nd place

Millau, France

The title itself high bridge occupies Millau, or as it is sometimes called Millot. Having grown to 343 meters, the handsome man has the right to boast of his highest supports. The miracle, 2.4 km long, came out of the skillful hands of the English architect Norman Foster and the French engineer Michel Virlojo. The traffic is two-way, each direction has 2 lanes.

3rd place

Golden Gate, USA

This is simply a three-kilometer legend (length 2,737 m), because for many years it held the palm among suspension bridges. It is also considered the most recognizable bridge, often appearing in various pictures, screensavers, frames of films and TV series. Maybe that’s why suicides are drawn to him like a magnet. Rarely does a month go by without some crazy person trying to commit suicide here.

Tower Bridge, UK

The famous design is a recognized symbol of Great Britain. An exceptional feature of the bridge is that a multi-ton colossus can be lifted in just 1 minute. The ingenious creators prudently created special pedestrian galleries that make it possible not to stop the flow of people while ships pass. The bridge has existed since one thousand eight hundred and ninety-four.

5th place

Vasco da Gama, Portugal

In 1998, it was exactly five hundred years since Vasco da Gama discovered the Europe-India sea route. It was in honor of this Portuguese navigator that this beautiful seventeen-kilometer bridge was named, including the main road, viaducts, and access roads. The design can withstand powerful gusts of wind and strong earthquakes.

6th place

Bosphorus Bridge, Türkiye

This is who has the honor of connecting two continents: Asia and Europe. In addition, it unites the Asian and European parts of the Turkish state. More than half a million passengers cross this bridge every day. The authorities had to block pedestrian traffic due to constant suicide attempts.

Pearl Bridge, Japan

A real miracle is the construction of a bridge in one of the most seismically unstable areas in the world. Many people know him under the name Akashi Kaike. The builders used so many steel cables when constructing the structure that if they were folded into one, they could girdle the Earth several times. For nine years, engineers and architects struggled with difficult natural conditions, but in the end they defeated them, creating this amazing structure.

8th place

Banpo Bridge, Korea

Translated from Korean, Banpo (Panpo) means “rainbow”. Along one side of the bridge there is a fountain, the jets of which shoot to the side and down. It shimmers with all the colors of the rainbow, revealing an incredibly beautiful sight. The duration of this miracle is approximately one thousand one hundred meters.

Brooklyn Bridge, USA

This masterpiece of engineering is one of New York's most popular attractions. For the first time, steel rods were used for construction. The bridge is located between Brooklyn and Manhattan. Traffic here is allowed for pedestrians, bicycles and cars. National Historic Landmarks designated the Brooklyn Bridge in the 1970s.

10th place

Forth Bridge, Scotland

The construction of this steel railway giant continued for eight years. This impressive structure connects the Fife region and Edinburgh across the Firth of Forth.

In this collection you will get acquainted with the largest bridges in the world. But this will not be a simple comparison of length, area or height. Every year more and more bridges are built, higher, longer and more unusual, so here I will talk about record-breaking bridges, since each of them at one time was the longest, largest, highest, or original. All the buildings on this list will stand out in some way, which is why they are worth paying attention to. I ask you to take part in the discussions, express your point of view and supplement the selection with buildings that you think are interesting.

1. We will start with the longest one this moment road bridge - Hangzhou in China. This is the longest bridge crossing the ocean - its length is 36 kilometers. You can commit virtual walk for Hangzhou via the link above. In the coming years, bridges will be built that will break the record of this bridge, but it will forever remain one of the longest and largest structures of its kind.

2. The tallest at the moment is the Millot Viaduct (Millo) in France. Its height is 343 meters, Millau also holds the record for having the highest pillars in the world, as well as the most high towers bridge in the world

3. No less legendary bridge - the Golden Gate in San Francisco. For a long time (almost three decades) it was the largest suspension bridge in the world. He also holds the sad record for suicides. Almost every month some madman jumps into the water from it

Bridges are massive structures made of concrete and metal that weigh thousands of tons and remain standing even during devastating natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and hurricanes. Bridges allow people to cross numerous natural obstacles such as lakes and rivers and are an integral part of modern rail transportation.

Despite their importance, you probably haven't read many books or articles praising the greatness of bridges. Let's correct this omission. Here longest bridges in the world, the length of which exceeds even Russia’s newest achievement - the 19-kilometer Crimean Bridge.

10. Hangzhou Bay Bridge – 35.6 km

This is a cable-stayed bridge that runs from Jiaxing City to Ningbo in the Zhejiang Province of China. The longest pedestrian bridge in the world, designed in Switzerland and proudly called “European”, looks like a mere baby in comparison with the Chinese bridge. After all, the length of the “European” is only 494 meters.

Due to the many difficulties such a monumental structure faces, 600 experts spent nearly ten years designing the bridge. One of the main problems was offshore construction. As a solution, several parts of the bridge were created on land and then transported to the area for which they were built.

In the center of the bridge, a service center for travelers with an area of ​​10,000 square meters was built, called “Land between Sea and Sky”. This center consists of shops, parking, a restaurant, a hotel and a 145.6-meter observation tower, which serves as a tourist attraction. The center is built on an island, which is a platform resting on stilts so as not to interfere with the sea currents in the bay.

9. Yangcun Bridge – 35.8 km

Built as part of the Beijing–Tianjin railway link, this overpass bridge is used for high speed trains, which travel at a speed of 350 kilometers per hour.

8. Menchek Swamp Bridge – 36.7 km

The first, but not the last bridge built in the USA on our list. Although its daily traffic (about 2,250 vehicles) pales in comparison to some of the country's newer bridges, the structure remains an engineering feat. After all, Manchek Swamp was built in 1979.

The bridge passes over the swamps, in which, according to legend, the werewolf Lugaru lived and a priestess who practiced the cult of voodoo lived. Legend has it that the priestess cast a curse on the area, and indeed a hurricane swept away three towns on the day of her funeral in 1915. Although the previous Menchek Swamp Bridge collapsed in 1976, the current structure successfully resists any curse and remains indestructibly reliable.

7. Dam bridge over Lake Pontchartrain – 38.4 km

Although the Chinese hold the lead on our list, the American bridge holds the title of longest continuous flight over water. This trestle bridge bisects Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana and is supported by nine thousand concrete piles.

6. Qingdao Bridge – 42.5 km

The construction of a highway connecting the Chinese port city of Qingdao with the suburb of Huangdao was carried out from 2007 to 2011. and demanded about 60 billion yuan ($9.35 billion). The space of the Qingdao Bridge is divided into six lanes, and the multi-ton structure is supported by over 5,200 supports. Every day 300 thousand cars pass through the bridge.

5. Bang Na Highway – 54 km

The six-lane bridge is located in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. The highway was completed in 2000, after five long years of work and billions of dollars in funding. A total of 1,800,000 cubic meters of concrete were used for the structure.

4. Bridge over Wei – 79.7 km

Part of a major railway line running between east and west China. The bridge connects the city of Zhengzhou in Henan province and the city of Xi'an in Shaanxi province. It became the first high-speed passenger railway in western China, and cost about 35.3 billion yuan ($5.4 billion).

3. Tianjin Great Bridge – 113.7 km

The third longest viaduct bridge is part of the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed rail link. It runs between Langfang County and Qingxian County.

2. Zhanghua-Kaohsiung Viaduct, 157.3 km

This bridge is only a few meters inferior to the longest bridge in the world over water. Changhua-Kaohsiung is part of Taiwan's high-speed rail network and carries over 200 million passengers every month.

1. The longest bridge in the world: Danyang-Kunshan Viaduct - 164.8 km

China is not the only country that builds large and expensive bridges. However, only the PRC has built three of the most long bridge in the world above water. And the longest of them is the viaduct connecting Shanghai with Nanjing. This grandiose structure is noted in the Guinness Book of Records.

The bridge, which opened in 2011, cost, according to various sources, between $8.5 and $10 billion. 10,000 people were involved in its construction. In total, the bridge is supported by 9,500 concrete piles.

The Danyang-Kunshan Bridge is unique in that it crosses many different places. It covers rivers, canals, chasms, streams, plains, hills, lakes and rice fields. The largest body of water it crosses is Yangcheng Lake in Suzhou. The builders faced a difficult task - to make the bridge universal and as stable as possible. After all, the vast majority of land in the river floodplain consists of soft soils, not hard rocks. Therefore, the designers decided to choose the form of a viaduct - a bridge consisting of numerous small spans, rather than several very long ones. In this case, the spans will give the bridge the flexibility necessary for ascents, descents and turns. At the same time, the viaduct remains very strong throughout its entire length.

However, the title of “longest suspension bridge in the world" is still the creation of Japanese engineers. The total length of the “Pearl” Bridge (Akashi-Kaikyo) is 39.1 km. The longest suspension bridge in the world spans the Akashi Strait, connecting the city of Kobe on the island of Honshu with the island of Awaji. It is not afraid of strong underwater currents, and if necessary, the structure will withstand earthquakes of magnitude 8.5.

THE BEST ENGINEERING DESIGNS OF ALL TIME

Surprisingly, the city with the largest number of bridges in Europe is not Venice, as many people think, but Hamburg. This city has more than 2,300 bridges, which is almost 6 times more than in St. Petersburg...

However, the point is not so much in the number of bridges, but in the uniqueness of the most unusual structures. If you think about it, each of these impressive projects, including the newest ones, is capable of glorifying an absolutely unknown place and, at the same time, becoming the most memorable architectural landmark of cities and geoparks with a long history...

VINOGRADOVSKY BRIDGE (1985). KRASNOYARSK. RUSSIA

Vinogradovsky bridge– pedestrian crossing of the Yenisei channel in Krasnoyarsk, favorite place walks of citizens and a tourist symbol of the city. The length of this bridge is 550 m, width is 10 m.

Initially, the bridge was named in honor of the founder of Krasnoyarsk, Andrei Dubensky. However, after some time, by order of the city administration, the unique design was named after the architect-builder Sergei Nikolaevich Vinogradov, the head of Bridge Squad No. 7, who built this bridge.

Thanks to the Vinogradovsky Bridge before desert island Tatyshev became one of the most popular places in Krasnoyarsk. The two-pylon cable-stayed bridge looks incredibly light and elegant, but precise mathematical calculations allow us to have no doubt about the high reliability of its structures, despite their external weightlessness.

BEIPANJIANG (2016). ZHEJIANG AND YUNNAN PROVINCES, CHINA

Beipanjiang- the new highest cable-stayed bridge on the planet, the three-year construction of which was completed in 2016 in China. The bridge is located in the Beipanjiang Valley in the southwest of the country. The new structure became part of an expressway connecting the provinces of Zhejiang and Yunnan. The bridge passes over the Nizhu River at an altitude of 565 m, which is 25 m higher Ostankino Tower. The length of the bridge is 1,341 m.

As the builders note, the maximum error in the joining of the two halves of the bridge connected recently is only 5 mm!

More than $150 million was spent on the construction of the structure.

Previously, the bridge over the Sydukhe River with a height of 495 m was considered the highest in the world.

ÖRESUN BRIDGE (1999 - 2000). COPENHAGEN, MALMË. DENMARK, SWEDEN

Unique road-railway design Øresundsbron(a compromise between Danish Øresundsbroen and Swedish Öresundsbron ) connects Denmark (Copenhagen) and Sweden (Malmö) through the Oresund Strait. This is the longest combined bridge-tunnel in Europe. The only link between continental Europe and Scandinavia.

The length of the bridge is 7845 m. Two pairs of free-standing 204-meter load-bearing pylons allow navigation in the main span, 490 m long and 57 m high. However, most ships pass unhindered through the strait above the tunnel.

Project architect - George Rothne, structural design - Ove Arup & Partners.

ZHIVOPISNNY BRIDGE (2007). MOSCOW. RUSSIA

Zhivopisny Bridge V Serebryany Bor - across the Moscow River in the west of the Russian capital. The opening of the bridge took place on December 27, 2007.

A competition for the best design of this bridge, which was supposed to connect three banks of the Moscow River at once, was announced in the early 2000s. In the end, the idea of ​​Omsk architects from NPO MOSTOVIK LLC won, who proposed a cable-stayed structure with an unusual arch made of tubular elements.

Length Zhivopisny Bridge 1.5 km, width 40 m, arch height 105 m. The length of the main span is more than 400 meters, which ensures comfortable passage river boats. The main highlight of the Zhivopisny Bridge is its unique Observation deck and a restaurant in the form of an elliptical “flying saucer”, seemingly frozen above the water at a height of 100 meters...

HARBOR BRIDGE (1932). SYDNEY. AUSTRALIA

Harbor Bridge- most big bridge Sydney and one of the largest steel arch bridges in the world. Sydneysiders jokingly call this bridge "The Hanger" due to its distinctive shape. The bridge opened on March 19, 1932. The length of the arched span of the bridge is 503 m. The total length of the bridge is 1,149 m. The width of the bridge is 49 m.

The Harbor Bridge connects the business part of the city ( South coast) from the central ( North Shore) and crosses Port Jackson Bay.

One of the bridge towers houses a museum and observation deck, Pylon Lookout, which offers magnificent views of the harbor and city center. To climb along the side arch of the bridge to its top, you only need shoes with rubber soles and a special suit with insurance, which is issued on the spot; an instructor will help you with everything else.

RAILWAY BRIDGE OVER THE KAMA (1899, 1998). Permian. Russia


Kamsky railroad bridge It is one of the largest engineering structures in Russia at the beginning of the 20th century. The design of the spans, developed by engineer E.N. Adadurov, was approved by the Construction Department of the Siberian railway April 30, 1896 Construction began in 1897. Grand opening took place January 27, 1899 in Perm.

In 1919, the second truss of the bridge on the left bank side was destroyed by Kolchak’s retreating troops. However, soon new structures for the destroyed truss were manufactured at the Chusovsky Metallurgical Plant, and already on February 18, 1920, traffic on the Kama Bridge was restored. The bridge has reached our timein a rebuilt form. In 1953, the bridge was widened by dismantling the ice cutters and erecting supports on the existing caisson foundation. Not only Russian, but also German and Hungarian factories were involved in the reconstruction (at the expense of reparations).In 1988, the spans were replaced with new ones according to the project of the Moscow Giprotransput Institute and the Chelyabinsk branch of Giprostroymost.In terms of its length (840 m), the Kama railway bridge is the largest in the Urals. More than two hundred passenger and cargo passengers pass through it every day. trains in both directions.

SKYBRIDGE/SKYBRIDGE/ (2014). SOCHI. RUSSIA

Skybridge– 440-meter suspension bridge in the Akhshtyrsky gorge of the Adler district of Sochi. Great new park attraction extreme entertainment SKYPARK AJ HACKETT SOCHI in the maritime Olympic capital of Russia.

Skybridge may be included in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest suspension bridge in the world. A 700-meter cable car leads to it. The structure stands at a height of 218 m, reaching 290 m above parts of the gorge, which is especially impressive as the bridge is made of a mesh polymer and appears transparent.

The width of the bridge is only 70 centimeters. The new Sochi landmark was designed by New Zealander AJ Hackett. The bridge offers an impressive view of the Mzymta River. The bridge has platforms for fans of bungee jumping (jumping from a height on a cable). The bridge is capable of withstanding an earthquake of magnitude 9.

GLASS BRIDGE (2015). GEOPARK IN THE YUNTAISHAN MOUNTAINS. CHINA

This is the longest glass bridge in the world. It is located in the Hunan Province Geopark in the Yuntai Mountains at an altitude of 180 m and is considered one of the most terrible on the planet.


The bridge was completely rebuilt in 2015. The previous structure connecting the peaks of Stone Buddha Mountain was made of wood and had deteriorated over time. However, 11 fearless engineers, working 12 hours a day, managed to turn it into a unique 300-meter glass “attraction” that creates the illusion of walking on air at a great height.

Not everyone dares to walk across the Glass Bridge. The base of the bridge is made of double-layer glass 24 millimeters thick, which is 25 times stronger than ordinary window glass. The builders claim that the bridge can withstand a load of 800 kilograms per square meter.

Why did the bridge crack?

However, as soon as it opened, the super-strong glass bridge suddenly cracked when one of the tourists dropped a metal thermos of water on it. Eyewitnesses say they were frightened by a loud sound and felt vibrations. Panic set in, people screamed and tried to run away from the bridge, risking running over each other - a word from some blockbuster. Fortunately, it didn’t go beyond the cracks, and no one was hurt. The fall of the thermos damaged only one glass layer out of three. Experts believe that the architects are not to blame. It's all about the features of glass - as a material. As we know from the laws of physics, even bulletproof glass can crack if it hits a certain point. Apparently, the thermos hit just such a point. However, given the presence of several layers of glass, each of which has its own “risk points”, the probability of breaking the bridge completely, even due to a strong blow, is virtually zero.

ECOLOGICAL BRIDGE (2015). HUBEI PROVINCE. CHINA

Built in Hubei Province The world's first ecological low-water bridge above a river. What is noteworthy is that the four-kilometer bridge does not run across the river, but directly along the riverbed, which made it possible not to cut down trees during its construction. The bridge is part of a highway, 10.5 km long. It exactly follows the bends of the river and connects the mountainous district with the central highway. This bridge became a tourist attraction as soon as it opened. And many travelers have already decided to take a ride along the new ecological highway.

AKASHI-KAIKE BRIDGE (1998). ISLANDS OF HONSHU AND AWADZI. JAPAN

Akashi-Kaike Bridge- one of the main works of engineering art in Japan. The longest suspension bridge in the world, reaching almost four kilometers. The length of the steel cables stretched along the bridge is a total of 300 thousand kilometers. This is enough to wrap around the Earth 7.5 times! The bridge crosses the Akashi Strait and connects the city of Kobe on Honshu Island with the city of Awaji on Awaji Island. It is part of one of the three highways connecting Honshu and Shikoku.



Before the construction of the bridge, ferries operated across the Akashi Strait, which was very dangerous due to strong storms. In fact, construction of the bridge began in 1988, and the opening took place on April 5, 1998. First, two concrete foundations for the pylons were built at the bottom of the Akashi Strait. For this purpose, two huge round shapes to pour concrete, then they were flooded. The difficulty was to sink them with great precision, but the bridge builders managed this, despite the strong current in the Akashi Strait. For the construction of this bridge, special concrete was developed that does not dissolve in water when poured. The next stage of bridge construction was the pulling of cables, which was carried out using a helicopter. In 1995, when both cables were stretched and the installation of the roadway could begin, a major earthquake of 7.3 magnitude occurred. And due to changes in the topography of the bottom of the strait, one of the pylons moved 1 m to the side, thus violating all calculations. However, engineers found a solution, and construction work was delayed by only a month. Due to the high cost of travel ($20), few car owners use the bridge, preferring to cross the strait by bus or, as before, by ferry.

SUSPENSION BRIDGE. NEPAL

There is a suspension bridge in Nepal, which was created not to decorate the landscape or attract tourists, but for the convenience of local residents. This bridge is stretched over the gorge, and every day hundreds of people and livestock cross it at their own peril and risk due to the lack of any alternatives. The structure of the bridge is very mobile and weak, so walking on it is very scary.

"BRIDGE OF THE MONKEYS". TATTON PARK. GREAT BRITAIN

An almost weightless bridge hovers over the pond, suspended on three huge white balloons in English Tatton Park. The composition is called "Monkey Bridge". The author of the bridge is the French artist Olivier Grossetete. Unfortunately, people are not allowed to run along such a crossing; it’s just a fabulous art installation.

MILLFU VIADUCT. FRANCE

Futuristic bridge over the clouds Millfu Viaduct is located in France. At the time of its construction, the Millau Viaduct was the highest transport bridge in the world. The height of one of its supports reaches 341 m, i.e. she's taller Eiffel Tower and just 40 meters below the Empire State Building in New York. The total length of the bridge is 2,460 m. Driving across this architectural miracle, it seems as if you are taking off.

RAINBOW FOUNTAIN BRIDGE BANPO BRIDGE (2009). SEOUL. KOREA

The fountain bridge is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the bridge on which the world's longest fountain is located (length - 1140 m). The bridge connects the two banks of the Hanshui River in the South Korean city of Seoul and became a fountain only in 2009. To the music, water jets illuminated by multi-colored LEDs move, performing a beautiful dance.

“DRUNKEN BRIDGE”/STORSEISUNDET BRU (1989).
PROVINCE OF MËRE-OG-ROMSDAL. NORWAY

Storseisundet bru- one of the seven bridges of Norway’s unique “Atlantic Road”, connecting the mainland and the island of Averøy in the province of Møre og Romsdal. The Storsezandet Bridge is built in such a way that, when approaching, it creates the illusion of a springboard from which you can take off with your car. Locals They call this bridge “Drunk” because its shape constantly changes depending on the viewing angle.

HANGING BRIDGE KIKKI (1991). PREFECTURE MIE. JAPAN

The unique Kikki Y-shaped suspension bridge at the Aoyama Kogen Golf Club in Mie Prefecture was designed in 1991. The length of the bridge is 12 meters. This bridge provides club members with easy access from the clubhouse to the golf course. The uniqueness of the design lies in the fact that the bridge is designed without a single support and can be folded and unfolded. The bridge is controlled by hydraulic pumps in the railings. From an architectural point of view, the Kikki Bridge is incredibly beautiful; its railings are made of precious wood and decorated with very fine carvings in the national style.

BRIDGE-AQUEDUCTWASSERSTRAßENKREUZ MAGDEBURG(2003). BERLIN. GERMANY

Wasserstraßenkreuz Magdeburg is the largest water bridge in Germany, connecting the inland port of Berlin with ports on the Rhine. The length of the bridge is 918 m. The bridge is located 10 km north of the center of Magdeburg. On the right bank of the Elbe near the bridge there is locality Hohenwart.

The idea of ​​building such a bridge was first expressed back in 1919, and by 1938 the Rothensee shiplift and bridge supports were ready. During the First and Second World Wars, construction was delayed. Also, after the division of Germany into the Federal Republic of Germany and the GDR, construction was postponed indefinitely by the GDR government. With the reunification of Germany, the construction of the bridge again became a priority. Construction began in 1997 and was completed six years later. In total, 0.5 billion euros were spent on the project. Before the construction of the bridge, ships were forced to make a twelve-kilometer detour through the Rothensee lock along the Elbe and through the Nigripp lock.

BRIDGE PYTHON/PYTHONBRUG (2001). AMSTERDAM. NETHERLANDS

Pythonbrug– a serpentine bridge in Amsterdam connecting the Sporenburg peninsula with the island of Borneo. This is one of the most bizarre bridges in the world. It was built in 2001. The design and construction of this post was carried out by West 8.

BRIDGE-RESTAURANT AYOLA (2003). GRATZ. AUSTRIA

In 2003, New York architect Vito Acconci created the Iola Island Bridge, which spans the Mur River in the city of Graz. Island part bridge - a small restaurant in the middle of the river with interesting interior and an observation deck.

BRIDGE PONTE VECCHIO (1345). FLORENCE. ITALY

Ponte Vecchio- the oldest bridge in Florence and the only one that has preserved its original appearance. The bridge was built in 1345. A distinctive feature of the Ponte Vecchio is the houses crowded on both sides of it. In the center of the bridge, a row of buildings is interrupted by an open area from which you can admire the river and other bridges in the city.

ROYAL GORGE BRIDGE (1929). GRAND ARKANSAS RIVER CANYON. USA

366 meter bridge Royal Gorge, designed by George Cole and Frank Stahl in Grand Canyon Arkansas River, became the prototype for Jurassic Park. This canyon became especially famous in the mid-19th century. At that time, native silver was found there, but the deposit was quickly depleted. But archaeologists found the remains of dinosaurs in these places, and Canyon City instantly became a popular tourist town, especially for which a unique suspension bridge-attraction with a boardwalk was built. True, in the 1960s, Royal Gorge became notorious as the “suicide bridge”, where people specially came to commit suicide. Fortunately, at the beginning of the 21st century. They were replaced by tourists who wanted to make extreme jumps from the legendary bridge.

GATESHEAD MILLENNIUM BRIDGE (2001). GATESHEAD, NEWCASTLE. GREAT BRITAIN

The 126-metre Swinging Bridge over the River Tyne between Gateshead and Newcastle, built by architects Chris Wilkinson and Jim Eyre to celebrate the new millennium, is a unique lift-and-swing structure. This design is based on two arches connected by cables, one of which serves as a pedestrian path capable of passing small ships underneath; and the other is raised above the water by about 50 m. When a tall vessel approaches the bridge, the bridge performs a pirouette - the so-called “winking eye”, when six hydraulic jacks rotate both arches 40 degrees around the axis connecting their ends and their top points appear at a height of approximately 25 m above the water. Thus, the bridge “winks” about 2000 times a year, and every time a lot of people gather to look at it. The bridge, weighing more than 800 tons, is capable of withstanding a collision with a ship with a displacement of up to 4,000 tons traveling at speeds of up to 4 knots. Gateshead Millennium Bridge has won more than 30 engineering, architectural and design awards. In 2007, the Royal Mint featured him on the reverse of the £1 coin.

SKY BRIDGE/LANGKAWI SKY BRIDGE (2004). LANGKAWI ISLAND. MALAYSIA

Architects: Peter Wyss, Höltschi & Schurter Dipl. Ing. ETH/SIA AG.

Mysteriously curved " Sky Bridge"Indeed, it seems to be floating over an abyss at an altitude of 700 m above sea level. Langkawi Sky Bridge is located near the top of Mount Mat Chichang on the resort island of Langkawi. Pirates once hid there Andaman Sea, and now it is a UNESCO Geopark. The length of the bridge is 125 m. It is supported by just one column and cables fixed in the rocks. Cable car in two stages with an intermediate stop, it takes tourists to the observation bridge at an altitude of 712 m, from where a view of the gorges, the sea and the nearby islands of Thailand opens. In 2005, the bridge was awarded an award at the international Footbridge competition.

TRANSFORMER BRIDGE/ROLLING BRIDGE (2005). PADDINGTON. GREAT BRITAIN

The unique octagonal transformable bridge in Paddington literally unfolds every Friday at noon, turning into a 12-meter footpath over the boat channel adjacent to the canal between London and Birmingham.


 The English sculptor Thomas Heatherwick, who created this miracle together with Anthony Hunt and Pacman Lucas, spied the principle of operation of this “segmented kinetic sculpture” from... a garden caterpillar. Hydraulic pistons are hidden in the folding metal parapet of the bridge, synchronously unfolding and collapsing the bridge, which received the prestigious British Structural Steel Design Award in 2005.

HENDERSON WAVES (2008). SINGAPORE

This 36-meter footbridge is the tallest in Singapore. It links Mount Faber Park and Telok Blangah Hill Park.

The length of the bridge is 274m. The design of the bridge is quite unusual. Seven ribbed steel bulges above and below the bridge deck form a system of side niches that provide seating areas with benches and tables. The internal decoration of the bridge is made of yellow balau wood, the external one is made of ribbed plate metal structures, in which lighting fixtures are hidden for beautiful night illuminations.

GESHER HA-MEITARIM (2008).ISRAEL

The 360-meter bridge at the intersection of Herzl Boulevard and Jaffa Road in Jerusalem is a double anniversary: ​​it was created for the 60th anniversary of the State of Israel and is the fortieth bridge in the work of the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. According to the architect, the bridge for the light rail line with pedestrian paths, suspended on 66 cables, assembled into a single parabolic structure on one pylon 119 m high, symbolizes the harp of King David. The first two years after the opening, before the launch of the tram line, the bridge was exclusively pedestrian, contrary to forecasts and objections, becoming one of the architectural landmarks ancient city. The new bridge unexpectedly found itself at the center of a political scandal. It lies on the border of East Jerusalem, which was captured by Israel during the Six-Day War and is still legally considered occupied Palestinian territory. PLO hardliners vehemently opposed the construction and threatened to sue the Israeli government.

PONT GUSTAVE-FLAUBERT (2008). ROUAN.FRANCE

Pont Gustave-Flaubert is located in Rouen and is considered the highest drawbridge in Europe (total height 91 m, lifting height of the roadway 55 m). Its length is 670 m. The bridge was designed by Aymeric Zoublin, Michel Virlogeaux and Francois Gillard in such a way that not only cruise ships, but also sailing ships participating in the “Rouen Armada” ship parade. By the way, its opening took place before the next “Armada”. The bridge is named after the French writer Gustave Flaubert, who was born in Rouen, and its lifting mechanism is launched 30-40 times a year. Each highway surface has its own lifting section. At the same time, the opening between the bridge platforms, hanging over the river at a height of 7 m, partially preserves the flow of sunlight to the water under the bridge, which supports the natural ecosystem of the river.

BRIDGE OF PEACE (2010). TBILISI. GEORGIA

The 156-meter pedestrian bridge of Peace over the Kura River, connecting Old Tbilisi with new microdistricts, is one of the most recognizable buildings in the Georgian capital.

Bridge of Peace in Tbilisi. Photo: soloway.org.ua

The bridge, with its Norman Foster-inspired glass panel canopy, was designed by Italian architect Michele De Lucchi and French lighting designer Philippe Martineau.

An interesting illumination system is built into the design of the Peace Bridge: in the evening and at night, every hour, 30,000 light bulbs broadcast a message in Morse code, visible on both parapets of the bridge. This message is made up of the names of the elements of the periodic table that make up the human body. According to the architect, “this message is a hymn to life and peace between people and nations.” For Tbilisi, this bridge played the same role as the Eiffel Tower for Paris, becoming a new symbol of the ancient city, being a modern technological construction.

MOSES BRIDGE (2011). FORT ROVER. NETHERLANDS

Moses Bridge- the newest of the unusual bridges in the world. It is located in Fort Roover, built back in the 17th century. as part of the Brabant line of structures protecting Holland from the invasion of the French and Spaniards.

During the large-scale reconstruction of the fort, the designers were given a difficult task - to throw a bridge over the fortress moat for tourists, making it almost invisible. The architects coped with the task brilliantly; the bridge was designed in such a way that the pedestrian deck is below the water level. From a distance it is invisible, but upon closer examination it resembles a small ditch cutting through a river. Hence the name in honor of the prophet Moses, before whom the waters parted. The bridge is made of specially treated and water-resistant wood. "Moses Bridge" was one of the finalists in the prestigious Dutch Design Awards.

 

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