Part one
To select a certain number of bridges from all the variety is an almost impossible task. Each bridge is unique and beautiful in its own way, so there will be no rating today. Simply the most beautiful (in our opinion) bridges in the world.
1) Magdeburg Water Bridge
Why do you think bridges are needed at all? “To cross the river,” most of you will answer. But what if you need to cross the river not by a car or a person, but by a ship or a barge? Before the construction of the Magdeburg Bridge, they had to make a detour for 12 kilometers, which is very inconvenient. Therefore, although the construction of the bridge over the Elbe took six years, and also spent $ 733 million from the city treasury, it turned out to be absolutely economically justified.
And of course the open mouths of tourists tell us that this is the most striking example of a water bridge.
2) Hangzhou Bay Bridge
The bridge between the provinces of Shanghai and Ningbo opened in 2007 and became the second longest - just over 36 km, and $ 1.4 billion was spent on its construction. But the authorities are not going to open it until 2008, which makes the townspeople nervous, who began to doubt the advisability of such a construction. Time will judge who was right.
3) Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge
This Japanese bridge can be called “the father of all suspension bridges”. It is more than 350 meters longer than the second longest suspension bridge - Golden Belt, which is located in Denmark. The Akashi-Kaikio Bridge was built in 1998 to replace Kobe-Iwaya, which was badly battered by storms. The construction cost $ 4.5 billion, and 2 million workers erected it for about ten years. The total length of the steel beams that were used in the construction of the bridge will be enough to circumnavigate the globe seven (!) Times.
4) Bridge of San Diego - Coronado
A feature of this bridge, built in 1969 for "ridiculous" 47 million dollars, was a 90-degree turn almost in the middle of the structure, with a total length of about 3.5 km. Unfortunately, in addition to its beautiful appearance, the bridge has another glory - in America it is the third in the number of suicides that are committed from it. But here the designers are not to blame.
5) Bosphorus Bridge
This bridge cannot be ranked among the largest or longest, it does not possess particular beauty, and yet it is simply impossible not to include it in the review. After all, it connects Europe and Asia. It was finished in 1973, and in 2005 American tennis star Venus Williams played on the bridge with Turkish player Ipek Senoglu. And this was the first match that took place on two continents at once.
6) Sydney Bridge
Last year, Sydney Harbor Bridge turned 75 years old and is rightfully considered one of the symbols of Australia's largest city. Due to its location, it is usually photographed alongside the opera house, which is not far away. It's funny, despite the relatively low cost of the bridge ($ 12 million), the last payment on it took place only in 1998.
7) Tsing Ma Bridge
The Tsing Ma Bridge, named after the two islands it connects, Tsing Yi and Ma Wan, is the sixth largest suspension bridge in the world, and holds more rail links than any other bridge of its kind. The bridge cost Hong Kong $ 900 million and was built in five years. Now it is one of the main attractions and the bridge looks especially amazing at night.
8) Oresund Bridge
The Oresund Bridge connects Denmark and Sweden, and therefore is in great demand among tourists. The pleasure of driving a car across a bridge more than 7.5 km long is quite expensive - $ 53 per car. Apparently, the toll was made to recoup at least part of the 3.8 billion costs. But tourists do not complain and obediently drive. More than 60 thousand of them pass every day.
9) TowerBridge
Who doesn't know the Tower of London? Probably everyone knows, but let me remind you of some facts. In 1894, its eight-year construction was completed, designed by Horace Jones and Wolfe Barry. For some time it was a prison and a torture chamber, now it is a state museum. The Tower Bridge got its name thanks to two towers about 40 m high. The bridge itself is located on the River Thames and is a modest 250 meters in length. But this does not prevent him from remaining one of the most famous bridges in the world and in England in particular.