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8 of the world’s most spectacular bridges

Yes, they get us from one location to another with ease, but there is more to bridges than that. They can be spectacular works of architecture – and art.

11/03/12 9,757 Views 17 Comments
Bay Bridge, San Francisco at night
Bay Bridge, San Francisco at night
Image: DH Parks via Flickr

YES, BRIDGES ARE a fantastic invention that help us traverse swathes of land and miles of sea in a fraction of the time it would usually take us to get from A to B…

But they’re not just functional – they can be spectacular too.

Travel + Leisure recently undertook a survey of the most spectacular bridges around the world, and the results are wonderful.

From the world’s oldest bridges – like Lucerne’s covered bridge – to some of the most audacious designs (Brazil’s Juscelino Kubitschek bridge), they showcase the ingenuity of the designers.

Here are eight of the best bridges, spanning time as well as place.

Which one is your favourite?

8 of the world’s most spectacular bridges
1 / 8

  • Bay Bridge, San Francisco, USA

    Construction on this pair of bridges began in 1933. In 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake lead to the collapse of one part of the bridge and it was closed for one month. By DH Parks on Flickr.

  • Bixby Creek Bridge, Big Sur, California, USA

    Built in 1932, this bridge meant that residents of the Big Sur area were not cut off during the winter, when the usual road would become impassable. By maveric2003 on Flickr

  • Juscelino Kubitschek bridge, Brazil

    This unusually shaped bridge is named after a former president of Brazil. It crosses Lake Paranoá in Brasília. From Wikipedia.org

  • Charles Bridge, Prague, Czech Republic

    This stone bridge is a pedestrian-only bridge crossing the Vlatava river in Prague. It was completed in the early 1400s and features 30 statues (now all replicas). Taken by .Louis on Flickr.

  • Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

    One of the world's most famous bridges, this bridge is often shrouded by the city's famous mist. It was opened in 1937. Taken by martinlrosen on Flickr

  • Chapel Bridge, Lucerne, Switzerland

    This Medieval bridge spans the Reuss River and is the oldest wooden covered bridge in Europe - and the world's oldest surviving truss bridge (one of the oldest types of bridges). Taken by raveneyes_48 on Flickr

  • Millau Viaduct, Millau-Creissels, France

    Spanning the valley of the river Tarn in southern France, it is the tallest bridge in the world - though the Baluarte bridge in Mexico will surpass that this year. Taken by Christinamari on Flickr.

  • Rialto Bridge, Venice, Italy

    The instantly recognisable Rialto bridge is usually thronged with tourists. It is the oldest bridge crossing the canal and was completed in 1591. Taken by Bruce of Oz on Flickr.

About the author:

Aoife Barry
aoife@thejournal.ie

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