1. Piazza San Marco - Venice
Piazza San Marco is famous, but the Ponte di Rialto is a real gem of Venice. The bridge was built in only three years, between 1588 and 1591, as a permanent replacement for the ferry which people used to cross the Grand Canal in the 12th century. This was the only way to cross the Grand Canal until the Accademia Bridge was built in 1854. This arched bridge is designed so galleys can pass under it, and the bridge itself is supported by 12,000 wooden pillars which hold the bridge for over 400 years. The architect Antonio da Ponte competed against eminent designers such as Michelangelo and Palladio to get this job.
2. Old bridge - Mostar
"Stari Most" or Old Bridge is a bridge over the Neretva River in Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina and it connects two parts of the city. The bridge was destroyed by the Croatian army during the war in Bosnia on 9th November 1993. After the war, the reconstruction of the bridge began, and a new bridge was opened on 23rd July 2004. The bridge is located on the Neretva River in Mostar and it was named after the city. Mostar is the fourth largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton and the unofficial capital of Herzegovina. It is 13 feet wide, 98 feet long and 78 feet high. There are also two towers which are known as "Bridge Keepers": Helebija on the northeast and Tara on the southwest. The arch was built of stones which are abundant in that area; they are better known by the name tenelija stones.
3. Gateshead Millennium Bridge - England
This bridge is located on the river Tyne as the last in a series of magnificent bridges. The bridge connects the cities of Gateshead and Newcastle. That was the reason why the bridge was built, but apart from that it attracts many tourists from around the world. In 1996, Gateshead government made a project to build a bridge that will connect the two sides, but also fit among six bridges that already exist on the River Tyne. More than 150 projects were gathered. The inhabitants chose the bridge that still stands today.
Mayor of Gateshead, Mick Henry said: "When we decided on the design of the new bridge we knew it will be special. Numerous awards for design and construction which the bridge received prove that we were right. But, although we knew how innovative it is, we didn’t expect the worldwide popularity. "
4. The longest arched bridge in the world - Lupu Bridge in China
Lupu Bridge is the longest arched bridge in the world. It is over 1,800 feet long and it stands on the magnificent Huangpu River in China. However, there was a large discrepancy in its construction. There was a need for a bridge that will connect Luvana district on the north bank and Pudong on the south bank, but it was supposed to be its purpose. When the mayor decided that bridge must set a world record in length, there was an argument, mostly because of large funds that were needed to for its construction. Nevertheless, the bridge was built and it also set a world record. It was opened in 2003. It is 2, 42 miles long and 94 feet wide.
5. Suspension Bridge Hangzao - China
Hangzao is a suspension bridge on the Hangzao bay in the east of China. Its construction was completed on 14 June 2007, and it connects the municipality of Shanghai and Ningbo in Zhejiang Province. The opening ceremony was held on 26 June 2007, and both local and international media were present. The bridge itself was opened for traffic in mid-2008.
Construction began on 8th June 2003. Bridge itself is 22 miles long, with 6 highway lanes running in both directions, making it the second longest bridge in the world right after the bridge in Louisiana. Speed limit on it is 62 miles per hour and it is predicted that it will last about 100 years. The construction cost about $ 1.4 billion.
6. Spiral bridge Kawazu-Nanadaru
Many innovations occur when there are very specific and unusual needs for it. This bridge is one such example: How to build a bridge over the cliff, where the slope is so steep that it is impossible to build roads? Simple, just make a spiral bridge on which cars will climb 147 feet in order to reach the opposite road. Some stats: it is 0.68 miles long, it has a diameter of 262 feet, and the speed limit is 18 miles per hour. Driving over this bridge is a very pleasant and interesting experience. It was completed in 1982 and it became a popular feature on the Road 414 that leads from Tokyo to the Izu Peninsula resorts.
7. Oresund Bridge
Oresund Bridge is on the Oresund Gulf and it has two railway tracks and four lanes for road traffic. This bridge-tunnel is the longest railway bridge in the world and connects the two metropolitan areas of Oresund region: The capital of Denmark, Copenhagen and the Swedish city of Malmo. The international highway E20 passes on this bridge.
The total length of the bridge is 4.87 miles. Bridge only is 1.607 feet long, while the highest point of pillars is on 669 feet. The bridge ends on an artificial island Paberholm, where we can find a tunnel leading to the Danish coast.
images source: wikipedia and flickr users: mitko, dariva, garethjmsaunders, pricey, randyzhang, altus, brian_worsley
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