Most Amazing Bridges In The World

Bridges and humans have had a long history. Many are designed specifically for people on foot or on bikes; Others are for use by cars, boats or trains. Some bridges connect continents; Others are more known for their history and the cultural interest they inspired. Today's bridges are not only a symbol of the advancement of our world in design, but with it also its advancement in technology. As a result, architects and engineers are able to combine style and technology together to build bridges that are bigger, better and extra luxurious than ever before. Take a tour through our Top 10 list of ancient spans, iconic structures and bridges with unique and interesting features.

1. Golden Gate Bridge (San Francisco, California) - The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the internationally recognized symbols of San Francisco, California and U.S.. It is arguably the most recognizable bridge in the world. The American Society of Civil Engineers has declared it one of the wonders of the modern world. The Fromers Travel Guide considers the Golden Gate Bridge possibly the most beautiful, certainly the most photographed bridge in the world. It opened in 1937 and until 1964 was the world's longest suspension bridge at 4,200 feet (1,280 m).

2. Akashi Kaikyo Bridge (Kobe, Japan) - Stretching across the Akashi Strait in the Land of the Rising Sun, the Akashi Kaiyko is a bridge of mind-blowing proportions. Its spread spans an astonishing 12,828 feet or about 2 1/2 miles. Its towers alone soar 92 stories skyward, almost the height of the Eiffel Tower. Its 6-lane freeway make way for 9 million cars each year. It was also built under some of the most severe conditions in the world - including typhoons, tsunamis and more than 60 inches of rain a year.

3. Sunshine Skyway Bridge (St. Petersburg, Florida) - Completed in 1987, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge is as tall as Mount Everest, which spans 4 miles. It is the 5th largest cable-stay bridge in the world and features Sunny Yellow Steel cables. Included in the structure are 36 "dolphins" that were fitted to protect the bridge's support columns from impacts from boats. In fact, the bridge can withstand a major impact by a boat weighing 87,000 tons. It is twice the size of the Titanic.

4. Tower Bridge (London, England) - A combined bascule and suspension bridge in London which crosses the River Thames. It is close to the Tower of London, from where it takes its name and has become an iconic symbol of London. It was opened on 30 June 1894 by the Prince of Wales. One of the final scenes of the Hollywood blockbuster “Sherlock Holmes” is played out on the bridge in the movie’s climax.

5. Firth of Forth Bridge (Queensferry, Scotland) - Built in the 1890s, this bridge was constructed primarily of approximately 54,000 tons of steel & held together with over 7 million rivets. One of the strongest bridges in the world in particular, Forth needed to be strengthened because its primary function was for rail loading. Today, this Highlands workhorse still supported between 150 and 180 trains, carrying people from Glasgow to Edinburgh and all stopping in between.

6. Brooklyn Bridge (New York) - Completed in 1883, Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the U.S.. It was the longest suspension bridge in the world from its opening until 1903, with a main span of 486.3 m, and the first steel-wire suspension bridge. Since its opening it has become an icon of New York City and was designated a National Historic Site and a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.

7. Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (Virginia Beach, Virginia) - This unique bridge-tunnel hybrid is so widespread and so vast that it is one of the few structures of the planet that can be seen from space. It was opened in April 1964, the bridge spans over 5,000 concrete piles and 17.6 miles. It took the bridge 30 years to build at a cost of more than $ 450 million. Its purpose was two-fold. It was built as a short-cut for residents traveling to and from Virginia, Maryland and Delaware, but more importantly, it provided the U.S. Navy with protection. Military leaders were concerned that during the war bridges could be destroyed by the enemy and block the naval base in Norfolk. Thus, the tunnels were built to help get the Navy to where it needed to be without the support of the bridge. 

8. Sydney Harbor Bridge (Sydney) - Nicknamed the "coat hanger," this large gray structure took over five years to complete during the Great Depression. It is manufactured from more than 53,000 tonnes of steel. It is 194 feet above the port of the capital of Australia. Locals call it the "coat hanger" for good reason. It uses about 72,000 gallons of gray paint every year to keep the bridge safe.

9. Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge (Boston, Massachusetts) - Head into Beantown and you won't likely miss this $100 million project called the Zakim Bridge. This behemoth stretches over Boston's Charles River and spans over 1400 feet across. In fact, it's the widest cable-stayed bridge in the world and boasts a whopping 10 lanes for traffic.

10. London Bridge (Lake Havasu, Arizona) - This is the bridge that made the song "London Bridge is falling down" popular. Built in the 1820s over the River Thames, the London Bridge became too small to accommodate the traffic of a metropolitan city over hundreds of years.It was built for walking and traveling only by horse and buggy. So in 1960 London built the bridge for auction. It was purchased in 1968 by Robert McCulloch, the founder of the city of Lake Havasu for $ 2.5 million. It took 3 years for the bridge to make its way, but the piece by piece Arizona it's paid off today. London Bridge brings more than 100,000 tourists to Lake Havasu every year. The result is that a quaint village has emerged near the bridge which offers tourists a small glimpse into English life.

Most Amazing Bridges In The World

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