Famous Bridges Around the World

Bridges are not only engineering marvels but are also a treat for the eyes. They not only have tremendous utility but are great tourist spots as well. People travel thousands of miles from all over the world to just see these bridges and experience their wonder. Not all of these famous bridges are huge in size, or cover hundreds of miles, but they are beautiful for their own reasons. Below is a small list of some of the most famous bridges of the world. But this is a list of personal favorites and you may have a different opinion on which are the most famous bridges around the world. Nonetheless, you can go through this list and make a list of your own based on these facts.

Famous Bridges of the World

Brooklyn Bridge (New York City, USA)
The Brooklyn Bridge is built over the East river and it connects Manhattan to Brooklyn. It is one of the oldest and best suspension bridges. It was also the longest suspension bridge in the world till the year 1903. It has always been a great tourist attraction and has been featured in many movies. The bridge sports six lanes for vehicles and a separate one specially for pedestrians.

Golden Gate Bridge (San Francisco, USA)
The Golden Gate Bridge is also a suspension bridge and is situated in San Francisco. The bridge extends from the Golden Gate to Marin county in the north. The bridge was painted in its iconic bright orange color called international orange. The paint of the bridge shields it from the salts of the sea that tend to have a rusting effect on the material of the bridge.

Magdeburg Water Bridge (Magdeburg, Germany)
Although comparatively a new bridge (completed in the year 2003), it is the longest one in Europe. It connects Elbe-Havel Canal to the Mittelland Canal over the river Elbe. It spans a whooping 928 meters. The bridge has become a tourist spot and has a parking lot, bicycle paths, and proper signs explaining the history of the bridge.

Ponte Vecchio (Florence, Italy)
It is built over the Arno river and is one of the oldest bridges of the world. The bridge is located in Florence and was built by the Romans. Though it got destroyed in a major flood, it was rebuilt and the wooden structure was replaced with stones. It is full with shops selling jewelry and souvenirs to tourists.

Great Belt Bridge (Denmark, Europe)
The name Great Belt Bridge was given to this bridge owing to the fact that it spans across the Great Belt of Denmark. The bridge has two sections, the eastern section and the western section. The Eastern Bridge is the second longest suspension bridge in the world and spans around 1600 meters. It is one of the most famous suspension bridges of the world.

Milau Viaduct (France)
The Milau Viaduct is located in France and is built on the valley of the river Tarn. It is the tallest bridge in the world. The bridge was opened to traffic in the year 2004 and it has also been awarded the Outstanding Structure Award in the year 2006. It is also the world's longest cable stayed bridge. The bridge has given a boost to the local areas through tourism. It is an important and one of the most famous bridges around the world.

Some More Famous Bridges Around the World

• Tower Bridge (London, England)
• Sydney Harbour Bridge (Sydney, Australia)
• Gateshead Millennium Bridge (Gateshead, England)
• Erasmusbrug (Rotterdam, Netherlands)
• Westminster Bridge (London, England)
• Fehmarn Belt Bridge (Baltic Sea, Germany and Denmark)
• The Kintai Bridge (Iwakuni, Japan)
• Oresund Bridge (Oresund Strait, Denmark and Sweden)
• Tsing Ma Bridge (Hong Kong, China)
• Bosphorus Bridge (Istanbul, Turkey)
• San Diego - Coronado Bridge (San Diego, US)
• Akashi-Kaikyō Bridge (Kobe-Naruto, Japan)
• Hangzhou Bay Bridge (Zhejiang, China)
• Nanpu Bridge (Shanghai, China)
• Richmond Bridge (London, England)

Many of these famous bridges around the world have made history in some or the other way. For instance, some of them used technologies in their making, that were far ahead of their time. These bridges are more than just a way of making inaccessible places accessible. They also gave their localities a distinct identity.