The most impressive bridges in the world

Ancient or modern, several bridges in the world can impress everyone who sees them because of their length, height, or aesthetics. Let's have a look at bridges in the four corners of the world that are true architectural wonders!

More than 700 meters above sea level, the Langkawi Bridge in Malaysia is a curved footbridge that allows passers-by to stroll above the rainforest. It offers breathtaking views throughout its 125 meters (410 feet).

The last remaining plant fiber bridge in Peru, the Q'eswachaka suspension bridge is built from ropes and braided cords. Regularly restored due to bad weather, it cannot be crossed by more than four people at the same time.

In the American state of Colorado, the Royal Gorge Bridge was the tallest bridge in the world from 1929 to 2011, standing 291 meters above the Arkansas River. An exceptional viewpoint!

Image: Diane Boots / Unsplash

In the heart of China's Zhangjiajie mountains, this glass bridge is 430 meters (1,312 feet) long, and 300 meters (984 feet) above the ground. It is one of the attractions of the Hunan Province Natural Park.

Opened to traffic in 1998, the Akashi Strait Bridge connects Kobe to Awaji Island, Japan. With a length of 3,911 meters or 2.4 miles (including the 1991 central span), it is the second-longest suspension bridge in the world.

Among the most famous bridges in the world, we find the Golden Gate! The famous red bridge, a symbol of San Francisco, was completed in 1937. The Golden Gate Bridge is considered one of the most beautiful works of modern architecture.

Photo: Varun Yadav / Unsplash

With its 516 meters (1,679 feet) long, the Portuguese Arouca Bridge (or '516 Arouca') became the longest pedestrian bridge in the world in 2021. Suspended 175 meters (574 feet) above the ground, it is remarkable for the two 'V' shaped pillars built at each of its ends.

Measuring over 35 kilometers (28 miles), the Hangzhou Bay Bridge is one of the longest sea bridges in the world. Opened to traffic in 2008, it connects the two largest port areas in China: Shanghai and Ningbo.

In New York, the Brooklyn Bridge crosses the East River and connects Brooklyn to Manhattan. This 1,825-meter-long (1.1 mile) suspension bridge is emblematic of the east coast metropolis.

Image: Redd F / Unsplash

The Øresund Bridge connects Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, to the Swedish city of Malmö. Motor and railway, the structure measures 7.8 kilometers (48 miles) including 1 kilometer (0.6 mile) suspended above the sea. Made up of four pylons measuring 204 meters (669 feet), it weighs a total of 82,000 tonnes.

Photo: Julian Hochgesang / Unsplash

Attention, lovers of extreme experiences! The Titlis Cliff Walk in Switzerland is built on a 500-meter (1,640 ft) precipice, and it measures only 1 meter wide and 100 meters (328 ft) long. This bridge, inaugurated in 2014, offers a breathtaking view of the Swiss Alps.

Also in Switzerland, the Randa Suspension Bridge was inaugurated in 2017. It measures almost 500 meters (1,640 ft) and was the longest suspended footbridge in the world until the inauguration of the Portuguese 516 Arouca. The sensational structure allows you to admire, among other things, the summits of the Matterhorn and the Weisshorn.

The Vasco da Gama Bridge crosses the Tagus estuary, north of Lisbon, for more than 12 kilometers (7-4 miles). It was opened in 1998 and connected to the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the route to India by Vasco da Gama. The bridge is designed to withstand an earthquake 4.5 times more powerful than the one that struck Lisbon in 1755.

Completed in 2006, the Nescio Bridge stretches almost 800 meters (2,624 feet) and crosses the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal. Equipped with two mobile arms that can be lifted using hydraulic technology, it is admirable for the purity of its form.

Perched above the Tarn Valley in southern France, the Millau Viaduct is the highest bridge in the world, with its peak rising 340 meters (1115 ft) above the base. This architectural masterpiece was inaugurated in 2004.

Photo: Vladan Raznatovic / Unsplash