We've travelled across Europe across and from Europe to Far East and from North America to Australia to present to you the most impressive bridges ever constructed. Explore our timeline of historic bridges, iconic structures and bridges that have unique and fascinating characteristics.
10. London Bridge ( Lake Havasu, Arizona )
The bridge is what inspired the music "London Bridge Is Falling Down" popular. Built in the 1820s on the River Thames, London Bridge became too small over the course of several decades to support the volume of traffic in a metropolitan city. The bridge was originally designed to be used for walking, and also for transport by buggy or horse. Then, in the 60s, London put the bridge on the market for auction. It was purchased at $2.5 millions in the year 1968. The buyer was Robert McCulloch, the founder of Lake Havasu City. It took three years to get from piece by piece to Arizona However, today, it's fully paid off. London Bridge brings in over 100,000 people from Lake Havasu every year. In the process, an old-fashioned village has sprung up close to the bridge, offering visitors an insight into English life.
9. Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge ( Boston, Massachusetts ) :
Go to Beantown and you'll never be able to miss this $100 million undertaking known as Zakim Bridge. This massive structure spans across the Boston's Charles River and spans over 1400 feet across. It's also the longest cable-stayed bridge anywhere in the world and offers a whopping 10 lanes of traffic.
8. Sydney Harbor Bridge ( Sydney, Australia ) :
The nickname is "coat hanger" it took more than five years to construct in the Great Depression. Built from more than 53,000 tonnes of steel, the structure is at 194 feet over the capital of Australia's harbor. Locals refer to it as"the "coat hanger" with reasons that are well-founded. It requires around 72,000 tons of gray paint each annually to ensure that the bridge is good.
The bridge-tunnel combination is so large and massive that it's one of the few structures that are visible from space. It was inaugurated in April 1964. the bridge was constructed using over 5 000 concrete pilings, and spans 17.6 miles. The bridge took 30 years to build and cost more than $450 million. Its function was twofold. It was constructed to serve as a shortcut for people who traveled between Virginia, Maryland and Delaware But, most important was that it provided an U.S. Navy with protection. The military leaders were concerned that in time of war, the bridges would be destroyed by enemies and could even block an important naval station in Norfolk. So tunnels were created to aid in getting the Navy to where it was required to be, but without the help of the bridge.
6. Brooklyn Bridge ( New York, New York ) :
Since more than an entire century over a century, for more than a century, the Brooklyn Bridge connects the inhabitants of Manhattan with thousands of Brooklynites who are bustling. When the bridge was opened at the time of its opening in 1883 it was seen as to be a masterpiece of modern engineering -- and remains until the present day. After its completion it would be the longest suspended bridge anywhere in the world. Furthermore the towers were the highest structures in the City of New York when they were constructed. However, don't let all this talking about engineering confuse you with the real reason for the bridge. Just a stroll over the Brooklyn Bridge, and you immediately enter that New York state of mind. The Brooklyn Bridge is a marvel of architecture that showcases the splendor of the city like none other.
5. Firth of Forth Bridge ( Queensferry, Scotland ) :
The bridge was built in the 1890s. this was the first bridge one to be constructed entirely from steel, which is about 54,000 tonnes -- and is held together by more than seven million rivets. One of the most durable bridges on the planet it is it is the Firth of Forth must be sturdy as its primary purpose was to load railroads. In the present the Highlands workhorse supports up to 180 trains every day that transport passengers to and from Glasgow up to Edinburgh and every stop in between.
4. Tower Bridge ( London, England ) :
As the most beautiful of London tourist sights, this stunning structure is an absolute must-see when visiting London, the English capital. Tower Bridge was completed in 1894 at a cost of around $1 million. It is constructed primarily from Cornish granite, and Portland stone. In the past the principal London Bridge became too busy with all the commerce that was taking place on along the banks of London. There were many attempts to cross across the River Thames, but traffic was frequently too heavy. The solution was to construct another bridge to ease congestion. That's how that the Tower Bridge was conceived.
3. Sunshine Skyway Bridge ( St. Petersburg, Florida ) :
The bridge was completed in 1987. Sunshine Skyway Bridge is as long as Mount Everest is high, it spans 4 miles. It's the 5th largest ever cable-stayed bridge. It has bright steel cables that are yellow. Included in the structure are the 36 "dolphins," which were installed to shield the columns supporting the bridge from damage from boats. The bridge can withstand an enormous impact from a ship that weighs 87,000 tons. This is twice as large as the Titanic!
It stretches across over the Akashi Strait, in the Land of the Rising Sun The Akashi Kaiyko bridge is that is mind-blowing in size. The bridge's length is 12,828 feet or more than 2 half miles. Its towers alone soaring at 92 stories high, which is almost as high as the Eiffel Tower. Its freeway has 6 lanes that allow for 9 million vehicles each year. It was constructed under some of the most extreme circumstances in the worldwhich included tsunamis, typhoons and more than 60 inches of rain per year.
1. Golden Gate Bridge ( San Francisco, California ) :
The bridge was first opened in 1937. the iconic and magnificent bridge is so huge that it could accommodate 40 large jets from ending to end along the length. It spans the bay that separates San Francisco from Marin County It is the seventh largest suspension bridge anywhere in the world. It was constructed at the time of gold-rush price in the amount of $26 million. The art deco-inspired roadway is 220 feet higher than that harbor underneath. The towers, spaced 4200 feet apart are two-and-a-half times taller than that of the U.S. Capitol building, and lean outwards by 6 inches to provide tension to the bridge's nearly 80,000 miles wire that is stuffed inside the cables. The steel is protected from the harsh sea air, the bridge has enough custom-made International Orange paint to cover the White House 17 1/2 times over. It's one of the American as well as the globe's breathtaking unforgettable, captivating and instantly famous iconic icons.
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