Thursday 2 October 2014

Here Are 30 Gorgeous Bridges That Are Making the World a Little More Magical.


Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

There’s something magical about bridges. They’re often incredible feats of engineering and design. They’re meant to connect people and places that would otherwise have to exist separately. Crossing a bridge is a singular experience. You’re neither here nor there, but hanging in the middle. You could be suspended over a river, hang in a valley, or climb a huge mountain.


Society also ties a lot of symbolism to bridges. They make us think about transition, connection, legends, and journeys.


Here are 30 of our favorites, found all over the world. Some of them are small, some are huge. Some are pinnacles of cutting-edge engineering technology. Some are ancient, but have stood the test of time. Some are deceptively simple, and some are incredibly intricate. Take a look!



1.) Infinity Bridge, Stockton-on-Tees, United Kingdom


1.) Infinity Bridge, Stockton-on-Tees, United Kingdom


This pedestrian and cyclist bridge features asymmetrical arches, and has won numerous awards for its design, engineering and eco-consciousness.


2.) Moon Bridge, Taipei, Taiwan


2.) Moon Bridge, Taipei, Taiwan


This bridge is perfectly paired with the still waters in DaHu (“Big Lake”) Park in Taipei. Even though the park is located near to the city’s industrial complex, you’d never guess from here.


3.) This Little Wooden Bridge


3.) This Little Wooden Bridge


Tiny bridges like this can pop up anywhere if someone decides they need to get from point A to point B. They’re charming, to be sure, but be careful on them!


4.) Puente Nuevo, Ronda, Spain


4.) Puente Nuevo, Ronda, Spain


This huge bridge connects the two parts of the city of Ronda, and took 42 years to build, beginning in 1751. The chamber over the central arch has been used for a variety of nefarious purposes, including as a prison and a torture chamber.


5.) Moon Bridge, Ferrara, Italy


5.) Moon Bridge, Ferrara, Italy


This take on the Moon Bridge features an illumination from underneath, creating a glowing crescent in the reflection.



6.) Dyavolski Most, Ardino, Bulgaria


6.) Dyavolski Most, Ardino, Bulgaria


Another “Devil’s Bridge,” this Ottoman bridge was built in 1515, and today, it can be seen from one of the country’s hiking trails. It’s only 11 feet wide.


7.) The Banpo Bridge, Seoul, South Korea


7.) The Banpo Bridge, Seoul, South Korea


The Moonlight Rainbow Fountain is the world’s largest bridge fountain, and recycles water right from the Han River. The water shoots out about 43 horizontal meters.


8.) Animal Crossing Bridge, Netherlands


8.) Animal Crossing Bridge, Netherlands


Animals need to get over things, too. Wildlife crossings are bridges just for animals, helping them navigate the world safe from perilous humans (and their cars). These bridges allow animals to get from one place to another without the danger of being hit by cars.


9.) Pont de Singe, Tatton Park, England


9.) Pont de Singe, Tatton Park, England


The name literally means “Monkey Bridge,” and this was created for a biennial celebration by French artist Olivier Grossette (that literally means “big head”). The bridge is actually being suspended by helium balloons here. It was “thereoretically” strong enough to hold a person, but the park didn’t take the chance.


10.) San Juan de Gastelugatxe, Bermeo, Basque Country, Spain


10.) San Juan de Gastelugatxe, Bermeo, Basque Country, Spain


This islet is connected to the mainland by way of a spindly bridge. The tiny island features a 10th century hermitage for monks, possibly the Knights Templar.


11.) Langkawi Sky Bridge, Malaysia


11.) Langkawi Sky Bridge, Malaysia


This striking pedestrian bridge is accessible only my cable car. It’s crazy curve some 2,300 feet (700 meters) in the air, at the peak of Gunung Mat Chinchang mountain, make for some great views.


12.) Ancient Bridge Ruin, Southern France


12.) Ancient Bridge Ruin, Southern France


Ancient bridges, left over from Roman building projects, can be found all over Europe, like this one ion Southern France.


13.) Moon Bridge, San Francisco, USA


13.) Moon Bridge, San Francisco, USA


Traditionally, moon bridges are constructed so that their reflections form perfect circles. This one, in San Francisco, features wooden beams to enable climbing, but it’s still really steep.


14.) Cangas de Ons, Asturias, Spain


14.) Cangas de Onís, Asturias, Spain


The so-called “Roman Bridge” has a history, just like the rest of the town, which dates to the early Middle Ages.


15.) Stari Most, Mostar, Bosnia


15.) Stari Most, Mostar, Bosnia


The Stari Most (“Old Bridge” in English), is actually a reconstruction. The original was a 16th-century Ottoman bridge. After standing for mover 400 years, it was sadly destroyed in 1993 during the Croat-Bosniak War. The reconstructed bridge was completed in 2004.


16.) Xiying Rainbow Bridge, Penghu, Taiwan


16.) Xiying Rainbow Bridge, Penghu, Taiwan


It’s just a simple pedestrian bridge by day, but this bridge puts on a show at night. The rainbow lights illuminate not only the bridge, but reflect off the water below.


17.) Fort de Roovere, Halsteren, Netherlands


17.) Fort de Roovere, Halsteren, Netherlands


Nicknamed the “Moses Bridge” because the water has been parted, this bridge–if you can call it that–as used to allow people to cross the Fort’s moat, but they opted for this barely-visible design so as not to disturb the historical site’s look.


18.) Charles Bridge, Prague, Czech Republic


18.) Charles Bridge, Prague, Czech Republic


This is another bridge that has seen many iterations and historic events. Legend says that the first stone of the original structure was laid at 5:31am, July 9th, 1357, by King Charles IV.


19.) Dragon Bridge, Da Nang, Vietnam


19.) Dragon Bridge, Da Nang, Vietnam


This dragon-shaped bridge was completed in 2009 and it spans the River Han. Each night at 9pm, the dragon lights up and breathes decorative fire.


20.) Rakotzbrcke, Kromlau, Germany


20.) Rakotzbrücke, Kromlau, Germany


Though it looks ancient, this bridge, which creates a stunning circular reflection, was actually built in the 1860s. Bridges like this are also known as “Devil’s Bridges,” some of which date back to the Middle Ages. The ominous name comes from their narrow, scary-looking construction. This bridge is currently off-limits to climbers, but you can take all the photos you want.


21.) Liberty Bridge, Budapest, Hungary


21.) Liberty Bridge, Budapest, Hungary


Budapest is actually comprised of two sections, Buda and Pest, and this is the bridge that connects them across the River Danube. The four masts, barely visible here in the fog, are topped with the Turul, a falcon that features in Hungarian mythology.



22.) Bridge of Peace, Tbilisi, Georgia


22.) Bridge of Peace, Tbilisi, Georgia


Spanning the Kura River in Georgia’s capital of Tbilisi, this bridge connects the city’s old and new districts and features motion-sensor lights for pedestrians. Its shape was supposed to evoke a marine animal, but it’s been nicknamed “Always Ultra” by the locals, who see the shape as looking more like a maxi-pad.


23.) Fairy Bridge, Scotland


23.) Fairy Bridge, Scotland


“Fairy bridges” like this are found in numerous places in Scotland, and, like the tree root bridges of India, are centuries old. Many of these bridges have legends surrounding them with regard to the mythical beings that live around them, or the other worlds that they can access.


24.) Constantine’s Bridge, Algeria


24.) Constantine


Constantine, Algeria, has the nickname “the city of bridges” for a reason–it’s full of them. This is just one of the many, that range from massive stone feats like this, to treacherously narrow plank bridges. This image dates from the late 19th century, but this bridge still stands, and there’s another, smaller one underneath it.


25.) Capilano Suspension Bridge, Vancouver, BC, Canada


25.) Capilano Suspension Bridge, Vancouver, BC, Canada


This simple walking suspension bridge hangs 230 feet (70 meters) over the Capilano River. It’s been rebuilt several times, but people have been enjoying all its incarnations since 1889.


26.) Bridge into the Clouds, Mt. Rainier, Washington, USA


26.) Bridge into the Clouds, Mt. Rainier, Washington, USA


This is the only bridge on this list that wasn’t built by humans, but it’s certainly impressive, and is part of Mt. Rainier’s Northern Loop Trail.


27.) High Trestle Bridge, Iowa, USA


27.) High Trestle Bridge, Iowa, USA


This bridge is part of a rail trail in Iowa, and the decorative structure on top was inspired by the view down a mineshaft, in honor of the miners who worked in the area.


28.) Shahara Bridge, Yemen


28.) Shahara Bridge, Yemen


Built in the 1600s to connect the mountaintop towns, this bridge is still used by locals, but tourists are advised to have help from a guide.


29.) Tree Root Bridge, India


29.) Tree Root Bridge, India


Root bridges are found in several places in India, and date back centuries.


30.) Forest Bridge, Alishan Mountain, Taiwan


30.) Forest Bridge, Alishan Mountain, Taiwan


Imagine going on a long walk and coming across one of these…wow.




Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Here Are 30 Gorgeous Bridges That Are Making the World a Little More Magical.

No comments:

Post a Comment