The 15 most famous bridges in the world

[New Sancai Compilation and First Release] Since ancient times, humans have used architecture to bridge the gaps between physical barriers to provide easy access. Most of these bridges are considered landmarks, and some have even become icons of the city due to their influence and engineering marvels. Here are some of the most famous bridges in the world.

△ Ponte Vecchio: Ponte Vecchio (literally "Old Bridge") is a medieval bridge across the Arno River in Florence. It is also the only one in Florence after World War II. The surviving bridge. The bridge is famous for the fact that there are still shops built along its shore, which was common in the days of the Medici. Originally, butchers occupied the shops; current tenants are jewelers, art dealers and souvenir sellers.

△ Golden Gate Bridge: The Golden Gate Bridge is a rope bridge across the Golden Gate Strait, which is the strait between San Francisco and Marin County in the north. The bridge is the work of architect Joseph B. Strauss, whose statue adorns the southern observation deck. The bridge took seven years to build and was completed in 1937. The Golden Gate Bridge was the longest span rope bridge in the world when it was built and has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in San Francisco and California. Since its completion, the span length has been surpassed by eight other bridges. The bridge's famous red-orange color was chosen intentionally to make it easier to see in the thick fog that often envelopes the bridge.

△ Millau Bridge: The Millau Viaduct is a huge cable-stayed bridge that spans the Tarn river valley near Millau in southern France. It is the world's tallest vehicular bridge, with the highest tower at 343 meters (1,125 feet), slightly taller than the Eiffel Tower. The speed limit on the bridge was reduced from 130 km/h (81 mph) to 110 km/h (68 mph) as traffic slowed as tourists took photos of the bridge from their cars. Soon after the bridge opened to traffic, passengers stopped to admire the scenery and the bridge itself.

△Tower Bridge: Tower Bridge is an upper opening and suspension bridge in London across the River Thames. Its proximity to the Tower of London gave it its name and became an iconic symbol of London. Construction of this bridge began in 1886 and lasted 8 years. The bridge consists of two towers connected by two horizontal walkways to withstand the forces of the suspended portion of the bridge.

△ Charles Bridge: Charles Bridge is a famous Gothic stone bridge spanning the Vltava river in Prague, Czech Republic. Its construction began in 1357 under King Charles IV and was completed in the early 15th century. As the only way to cross the Vltava River, Charles Bridge is the most important connection between the Old Town and the area surrounding Prague Castle. This connection made Prague an important trade route between Eastern and Western Europe. Today it is one of Prague's most popular attractions.

△ Rialto Bridge: Rialto Bridge is one of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. It is the oldest bridge across the canal. The current stone bridge is a single-span bridge designed by Antonio da Ponte and completed in 1591 to replace the wooden bridge that collapsed in 1524. The bridge's engineering design was considered so bold that some architects predicted it would collapse in the future. The bridge defied the objections of its critics and became one of Venice's landmarks.

△ Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge: Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, also known as "Pearl Bridge", is the longest rope bridge in the world, with a total length of 1,991 meters (6,532 feet). It spans Japan's Akashi Strait and connects Kobe on the Japanese mainland to Iwaya on Awayi Island. The bridge took nearly 12 years to build and was opened to traffic in 1998. The center span of the bridge was originally only 1,990 meters, but the Kobe earthquake on January 17, 1995 caused the two towers to move, so it had to be increased by 1 meter.

△ Si-o-se Pol: The Si-o-se Pol Bridge (or Bridge of 33 Arches) is a famous bridge in Isfahan, Iran. It is rated as one of the most famous examples of bridge design from the Safavid dynasty. The bridge was built by Shah Abbas I in 1602 and is made of masonry. The bridge is 295 meters long and 13.75 meters wide. It is said that the bridge originally consisted of 40 arches, which were gradually reduced to 33.

△ Mostar Old Bridge (Stari Most): Mostar Old Bridge (meaning "Old Bridge") is the Herzegovina Neretva River in the city of Mostar, Herzegovina, Bosnia A famous bridge on the river Neretva. It was built by the Ottoman Turks in 1566 and stood for 427 years until the bridge was destroyed in 1993 during the Bosnian War. Subsequently, reconstruction work began and the new bridge was opened in 2004. Traditionally, young people jump from the bridge into the Neretva River. Since the water in the river is very cold, only the most skilled and well-trained divers will attempt this very dangerous feat.

△Sydney Harbor Bridge: The Sydney Harbor Bridge is one of Australia’s most famous and most photographed landmarks by tourists. It is the largest (but not the longest) steel arch bridge in the world, with its top rising 134 meters (440 feet) above Sydney Harbour. The bridge took eight years to build and was opened to traffic in March 1932. Because the steel expands or contracts in response to heat and cold, the bridge is not completely stationary and can rise or fall up to 18 centimeters (7.1 inches).

△ Alcantara Bridge: The Alcantara Bridge spans the Tagus River in Alcantara, Spain. It is a masterpiece of ancient Roman bridge architecture. The bridge was built in 98 AD by order of the Roman Emperor Trajan between 104 and 106 AD. There is a triumphal arch in the center of the bridge and a small temple at one end of the bridge in memory of Trajan. The Alcantara Bridge suffered more damage from war than from natural disasters. The Moors destroyed the smallest arch on one side of the bridge, while the second arch on the other side was destroyed by the Spanish to stop the Portuguese invasion.

△ Brooklyn Bridge: Built in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge spans the East River and connects Manhattan and Brooklyn. In the years since it opened, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world and has become a famous and iconic New York landmark. The bridge has a wide sidewalk for pedestrians and cyclists. This walkway assumes special importance during difficult times, such as during the attacks of September 11, 2001, when the usual means of crossing the bridge were unavailable.

△Chengyang Bridge: Chengyang Bridge (also known as Fengyu Bridge, Yongji Bridge) was built in 1916 and is the most famous Fengyu Bridge in the Dong ethnic area of Guangxi, China. This bridge spans the Linxi River in Liuzhou City and is still in use today. It is built of wood and stone without nails or rivets and is 64.4 meters long, 3.4 meters wide and 10.6 meters high.

△ Chapel Bridge: The Chapel Bridge is 204 meters (670 feet) long and spans the Reuss River in Lucerne, Switzerland. It is the oldest wooden covered bridge in Europe and one of Switzerland's major tourist attractions. This covered bridge was built in 1333 to protect the city of Lucerne. The bridge houses a series of 17th-century paintings depicting historical events in Lucerne. The bridge and much of the painting were destroyed in a fire in 1993, but were quickly rebuilt.

△ Great Belt Bridge: The Great Belt Bridge is actually two bridges divided into two by the island of Sprogø - the East Bridge and the West Bridge. The East Bridge is a 1,624 m (5,328 ft) long suspension bridge spanning the deepest part of Storebælt between Zealand and Sproger. It has the third longest main span in the world. The East Bridge is 254 meters (833 feet) above sea level and its two bridge towers are the highest points in Denmark. The West Bridge is a 6,611 m (21,689 ft) long mixed rail and road bridge connecting the islands of Sprog and Funen.

( Author: Mike Kaplan)

(Compiled by: Bai Ding)

(Editor: Jiang Qiming)

(Source of the article: Compiled and published by New Sancai)