The most incredible bridges in the world. Which city has the most bridges The city with the most bridges

Hamburg is the second largest city in Germany and one of the most beautiful in the country. It is a popular tourist destination due to its scenic beauty and unique blend historical monuments, modern pubs and nightclubs, including the world famous red light district, Reeperbahn. Despite the fact that it is located on the Elbe River, approximately 100 kilometers from the North Sea, Hamburg is the largest port city. It has the country's largest port - the second busiest in Europe and the third largest in the world after London and New York. For those who love water, boats and harbors, the city is a must-see. In this article we will look at the most popular bridges in Hamburg and tell you more about each of them.

Hamburg is virtually surrounded on all sides by water. The River Alster is divided into two lakes that lie on either side of the city, Binnen and Aussenalster (Inner and Outer) and the River Elbe flows straight through into the North Sea. All that water means an abundance of canals, streams and bridges. In fact, Hamburg has more bridges within the city than any other city in the world and more canals than Amsterdam and Venice combined. Total bridges - approximately 2,300 to 2,500 - more than London, Amsterdam and Venice in total. In this selection you will find the largest and most famous bridges in Hamburg.

Köhlbrandbrücke Bridge.

The Köhlbrandbrücke was opened in 1974 and is one of the most prominent landmarks in Hamburg. At 3,940 meters long, with a central span of 325 meters, from 1974 to 1991 it was the longest bridge span in the world. Now, it is the second longest bridge in Germany.

We have already done a similar review on the bridges of St. Petersburg, so if you are interested in architecture, be sure to visit this selection.

Elbrücken.

Elbrücken is subdivided into several independent bridges that cross the Elbe River in Hamburg. The two bridges merge into each other again, encircling the largest river island on the Elbe.




Old Elbbrücke Bridge.

In 1899, a 474-meter-long steel arch bridge, then built for cars, was opened. This was the first road bridge via Suderelbe, now intended for pedestrians and cyclists only. Between 1980 and 1995 it was radically renovated.


Kattvik-Brücke.

Kattvik is a vertical lift bridge 290 meters long with two high-class portals of 70 m for railway transport and road transport. The bridge connects the Elbe and Wilhelmsburg Moorburg Island and was opened on March 21, 1973. With a height of 46 meters, it is the largest vertical elevator bridge in the world.


Bruxbrücke.

In 1887, the Brooks Bridge leading to Speicherstadt was opened. The bridge is decorated with four statues, one at each of its corners. The original sculptures were destroyed during World War II. New ones were installed in 2001.


Lombards and Kennedy bridges.

Pawnshop - road and railroad bridge along the Alster River in Hamburg. It was named after a pawnshop opened here in 1651. The original wooden bridge was replaced in 1865 by a new one, 69 meters long.

Next to Lombard Bridge is Kennedy Bridge. A second bridge was built in 1953 because the old Lombard Bridge could not handle the increased traffic. The bridge was originally called New Lombardsbrücke. It was renamed Kennedy Bridge in 1963 in honor of John F. Kennedy after his assassination. Both of the above bridges divide the Alster lake into internal and external.


Sollenbrücke.

This is the most old bridge in the city, dating back to 1663. The bridge is 25 meters long, with its three arches of different sizes, built from sandstone blocks. The rails and lamps here have been preserved since the 19th century, when the bridge was expanded.

Ellerntorsbrücke.

A stone arch bridge that served for many centuries as a direct route from Hamburg to Altona. Built in 1668, it is the second oldest stone bridge in Hamburg.

Trostbrücke.

This is a small historical bridge that crosses one of the canals connecting the city's dock areas with the Elbe River. Located in the southwest of the city center. The bridge, built in 1881, once marked the border between the old and new cities of Hamburg. Stone structure famous for the presence of statues of Count Adolf III and Bishop Ansger, who founded the city cathedral.

Riesendambrück.

The bridge was named in memory of Heinrich Müller Riese, who ran a corn mill in the 13th century. It was built in 1843. People come here to see the wonderful view of the river, where they can feed the swans with bread.

Slamatienbrücke.

One of the lesser-known bridges is located in the Neustadt area on Ludwig-Erhard Street, which crosses the Alster. Since its completion in 1959, it has been dedicated to cars.

Many will decide that this is, of course, Venice and will be wrong. Someone will say that in Amsterdam - and again bypass. London? No! This city has more bridges than all of these cities listed combined. Two and a half thousand large and small bridges across two rivers, on the banks of which this city is located.


The city where The Beatles began their career, the city after which the most popular dish in the world is named. I think you already guessed that this is Hamburg - the second largest city in Germany.

CITY OF OTHER CITIES

Hamburg also has something of Venice...

And from London...

And from Peter. Although, most likely, St. Petersburg has something from Hamburg. By the way, this boat on the column at the Town Hall is often confused with the boat on the spire of the Admiralty. Why, Hamburg and St. Petersburg are generally sister cities.

Residential areas in the city center:

The Hamburg metro is distinguished by the fact that most of sections passes along the surface and on overpasses, covering mainly northern part cities.

The main square of the city, where the Town Hall is located

Hamburg is a city of symmetry and strict lines...

Homeless...

And water.

WE CAME TO THE PORT TODAY

Hamburg is large transport hub(railways and highways), as well as a sea and river (Elbe River) port. Sea port is largest port Germany, which is the second largest in Europe after Rotterdam.

The port of Hamburg occupies a tenth of the city's territory - 75 square kilometers. The total length of the berth wall is 46 kilometers - this is about 300 berths for sea and ocean vessels..

The port is a seaport, although it is located on the banks of the Elbe River, not far from where it flows into the North Sea.

The port of Hamburg is perhaps the most important attraction of the city, and you can devote a whole day to it. What kind of ships you won’t see here!

"Cap San Diego"- German cargo ship built in 1962. Currently the ship is a museum. The cargo ship was nicknamed the “white swan of the Atlantic.”
“San Diego” went to the same “distant shores” that are sung about in the song about Brazil.

The main attraction of the port of Hamburg is the museum sailboat "Rickmer Rickmers"(Rickmer Rickmers). He is one of the last large sailboats commercial shipping.

The sailboat was used to transport cargoes of rice and bamboo from Far East, with coal from Wales to Chile, and from Chile to Germany with saltpeter.

sailboat Grossherzogin Elisa, built in 1909. It is still in operation as a training vessel and goes to sea.

Bulk carrier (dry cargo carrier) PANTHER MAX in the dock. Built in 2012, it has a length of 229 m and a width of 32 m. It takes on board 44,326 tons.

Ocean cruise giant "Norwegian Escape"- the third liner of the NCL company, the Breakaway Plus project. This is the biggest a cruise ship company NCL, which is larger than its brothers, predecessors Breakaway and Getaway, by one deck. It has just been built and will soon be put into operation.

More than 300 meters long, 40 meters wide, 20 decks, 2206 cabins, which can accommodate up to 5000 passengers.



(www.shipspotting.com)

Premium cabins with a personal butler, two balconies, a jacuzzi and designer interiors, an entire water park on the upper deck with slides and waterfalls, a huge selection of restaurants and bars with a varied menu from several cuisines of the world - a real floating city.


(www.shipspotting.com)

We could also talk about the origin of the expression “Hamburg rooster,” but that would be a completely different story.

More posts about our ferry-car trip, organized by unis And ilyavaliev :

Nowadays bridges are not something surprising or supernatural. They have long become a convenient tool for movement, and allow you to achieve your goal in the shortest possible time. Once upon a time, bridges were trees, planks and ropes. Today these are amazing structures that constantly compete in perfection and strength.

After everyone appreciated the convenience of these structures, bridges began to be perceived as a certain form of art; they actually look impressively beautiful and represent a great creation of mankind. Many people specifically go on a trip in order to see and visit the most beautiful bridges in the world.

In this article we will introduce you to longest bridges in the world and we’ll tell you about the construction process, history and many interesting incidents that are inextricably linked with them.

1.Danyan-Kunyshan viaduct. China. This longest bridge in the world, 164.8 kilometers long. It was built as part of the Beijing High Mountain railway. Its construction took only 2 years. It is located in Jiangsu province, between Shanghai and the city of Nanki. The largest body of water that crosses the bridge is Yangcheng Lake. The lake, in turn, is famous for the fact that it is home to shaggy crabs, whose meat is a great delicacy.

2. Tianjin viaduct. China. Second longest bridge, is also located in China and its construction also took 2 years. Its length reaches 113,700 meters, which extends from Beijing South railway station to Tianjin city.

It is not surprising that third longest bridge in the world is located in China. Its total length is 79,732 meters and connects the cities of Zhengzhou and Xi'an. The bridge received this name because it crosses the Wei River twice.

4. Bang Na Highway. Thailand. There is a bridge in the city Bangkok, and its total length is 54 kilometers. The construction of this above-ground structure lasted 5 years, and the cost of the entire project was more than 1 billion US dollars. Traffic over the bridge paid, this is due to the fact that there is a free ground road. The bridge was created in order to relieve traffic jams on highways.

And again, China is the country that holds the record for the longest bridges. Its length is 42.5 kilometers and extends between the city of Qingdao and the Huangdao region, and also crosses the northern part of Jiaozhou Bay.

Construction of the bridge took 4 years and cost China 60 billion Chinese yuan, the same as almost 10 billion US dollars. Every day, 30,000 cars cross the bridge, saving only 20-30 minutes, which is clearly not worth such a waste of the state budget.

6.Bridge (dam) over Lake Pontchartrain. USA. It also has another name, which is better known to Americans - bridge between Mandeville and Metairie, since these two cities are connected by a lake. It is located in the state of Louisiana, and its length is 38.42 kilometers.

If we compare it with other similar buildings, the bridge is particularly stable and resistant to various elements. True, during its existence (since 1948), one or several barges periodically crash into the bridge.

7.Hangzhou Bay Bridge. Despite the fact that this bridge is the seventh on our list, it is actually the first longest transoceanic bridge in the world.

In turn, it crosses the ocean and connects the cities of Shanghai and Ningbo. The length of the bridge is 36 kilometers, its estimated service life is 100 years, despite the fact that it was built in China.

8.Bridge named after Louisiana paratroopers. USA. From the name, it is obvious that the bridge is located in the state of Louisiana, namely between cities of Baton Rouge and Lafayette. The bridge crosses the Atchafalaya Basin and has a length of 29.29 kilometers, making it second most long bridge in USA. Near the visitor center at milepost 121 of Highway 3177 is a monument dedicated to the memory of the soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division.

9. King Fahd Bridge. Saudi Arabia. It is rather a whole complex of bridges, the total length of which is more than 25 kilometers. The purpose of the complex is to connect the city of El Hubao to Saudi Arabia And island state Bahrain. Construction began in 1982 when heads of state King Fahd and Isa laid the first stone.

10. Bridge-tunnel over the Chesapeake Bay. USA. Have you ever seen a bridge turn into an underwater tunnel? No? Then you have a great opportunity to take a ride underwater. It is located in Virginia and was built back in 1964.

The bridge, if you can even call it that, consists of two underwater tunnels (1600 meters each), 4 artificial islands, 2 bridges, more than 3 kilometers of roads along dams and 9 kilometers of access roads. And all this is done so that US Navy vessels can safely go to the open sea. The total length of all these structures is 24.14 kilometers.

That's how creative people can be. Once you see one of these giants, it will be difficult to name it just a bridge, in fact, this is a real work of art, resourcefulness and talent.

In fact, this is not the limit of human capabilities and, given how quickly our planet is populated with more and more new people, soon it will all be covered with many layers of bridges, highways and tunnels.

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THE BEST ENGINEERING DESIGNS OF ALL TIME

Surprisingly, the city with the largest number of bridges in Europe is not Venice, as many people think, but Hamburg. This city has more than 2,300 bridges, which is almost 6 times more than in St. Petersburg...

However, the point is not so much in the number of bridges, but in the uniqueness of the most unusual structures. If you think about it, each of these impressive projects, including the newest ones, is capable of glorifying an absolutely unknown place and, at the same time, becoming the most memorable architectural landmark of cities and geoparks with a long history...

VINOGRADOVSKY BRIDGE (1985). KRASNOYARSK. RUSSIA

Vinogradovsky bridge– pedestrian crossing of the Yenisei channel in Krasnoyarsk, favorite place walks of citizens and a tourist symbol of the city. The length of this bridge is 550 m, width is 10 m.

Initially, the bridge was named in honor of the founder of Krasnoyarsk, Andrei Dubensky. However, after some time, by order of the city administration, the unique design was named after the architect-builder Sergei Nikolaevich Vinogradov, the head of Bridge Squad No. 7, who built this bridge.

Thanks to the Vinogradovsky Bridge before desert island Tatyshev became one of the most popular places in Krasnoyarsk. The two-pylon cable-stayed bridge looks incredibly light and elegant, but precise mathematical calculations allow us to have no doubt about the high reliability of its structures, despite their external weightlessness.

BEIPANJIANG (2016). ZHEJIANG AND YUNNAN PROVINCES, CHINA

Beipanjiang- the new highest cable-stayed bridge on the planet, the three-year construction of which was completed in 2016 in China. The bridge is located in the Beipanjiang Valley in the southwest of the country. The new structure became part of an expressway connecting the provinces of Zhejiang and Yunnan. The bridge passes over the Nizhu River at an altitude of 565 m, which is 25 m higher than the Ostankino Tower. The length of the bridge is 1,341 m.

As the builders note, the maximum error in joining the two halves of the bridge connected recently is only 5 mm!

More than $150 million was spent on the construction of the structure.

Previously, the bridge over the Sydukhe River with a height of 495 m was considered the highest in the world.

ÖRESUN BRIDGE (1999 - 2000). COPENHAGEN, MALMË. DENMARK, SWEDEN

Unique road-railway design Øresundsbron(a compromise between Danish Øresundsbroen and Swedish Öresundsbron ) connects Denmark (Copenhagen) and Sweden (Malmö) through the Oresund Strait. This is the longest combined bridge-tunnel in Europe. The only link between continental Europe and Scandinavia.

The length of the bridge is 7845 m. Two pairs of free-standing 204-meter load-bearing pylons allow navigation in the main span, 490 m long and 57 m high. However, most ships pass unhindered through the strait above the tunnel.

Project architect - George Rothne, structural design - Ove Arup & Partners.

ZHIVOPISNNY BRIDGE (2007). MOSCOW. RUSSIA

Zhivopisny Bridge in Serebryany Bor- across the Moscow River in the west of the Russian capital. The opening of the bridge took place on December 27, 2007.

A competition for the best design of this bridge, which was supposed to connect three banks of the Moscow River at once, was announced in the early 2000s. In the end, the idea of ​​Omsk architects from NPO MOSTOVIK LLC won, who proposed a cable-stayed structure with an unusual arch made of tubular elements.

The length of the Zhivopisny Bridge is 1.5 km, width 40 m, arch height 105 m. The length of the main span is more than 400 meters, which ensures comfortable passage river boats. The main highlight of the Zhivopisny Bridge is its unique Observation deck and a restaurant in the form of an elliptical “flying saucer”, seemingly frozen above the water at a height of 100 meters...

HARBOR BRIDGE (1932). SYDNEY. AUSTRALIA

Harbor Bridge- most big bridge Sydney and one of the largest steel arch bridges in the world. Sydneysiders jokingly call this bridge "The Hanger" due to its distinctive shape. The bridge opened on March 19, 1932. The length of the arched span of the bridge is 503 m. The total length of the bridge is 1,149 m. The width of the bridge is 49 m.

The Harbor Bridge connects the business part of the city ( South coast) from the central ( North Shore) and crosses Port Jackson Bay.

One of the bridge towers houses a museum and observation deck, Pylon Lookout, which offers magnificent views of the harbor and city center. To climb along the side arch of the bridge to its top, you only need shoes with rubber soles and a special suit with insurance, which is issued on the spot; an instructor will help you with everything else.

RAILWAY BRIDGE OVER THE KAMA (1899, 1998). Permian. Russia


The Kama railway bridge is one of the largest engineering structures in Russia at the beginning of the 20th century. The design of the spans, developed by engineer E.N. Adadurov, was approved by the Construction Directorate of the Siberian Railway on April 30, 1896. Construction began in 1897. The grand opening took place January 27, 1899 in Perm.

In 1919, the second truss of the bridge on the left bank side was destroyed by Kolchak’s retreating troops. However, soon new structures for the destroyed truss were manufactured at the Chusovsky Metallurgical Plant, and already on February 18, 1920, traffic on the Kama Bridge was restored. The bridge has reached our timein a rebuilt form. In 1953, the bridge was widened by dismantling the ice cutters and erecting supports on the existing caisson foundation. Not only Russian, but also German and Hungarian factories were involved in the reconstruction (at the expense of reparations).In 1988, the spans were replaced with new ones according to the design of the Moscow Giprotransput Institute and the Chelyabinsk branch of Giprostroymost.In terms of its length (840 m), the Kama railway bridge is the largest in the Urals. More than two hundred passenger and cargo passengers pass through it every day. trains in both directions.

SKYBRIDGE/SKYBRIDGE/ (2014). SOCHI. RUSSIA

Skybridge– 440-meter suspension bridge in the Akhshtyrsky gorge of the Adler district of Sochi. A wonderful new attraction of the extreme entertainment park SKYPARK AJ HACKETT SOCHI in the maritime Olympic capital of Russia.

Skybridge may be included in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest suspension bridge in the world. A 700-meter cable car leads to it. The structure stands at a height of 218 m, reaching 290 m above parts of the gorge, which is especially impressive as the bridge is made of a mesh polymer and appears transparent.

The width of the bridge is only 70 centimeters. The new Sochi landmark was designed by New Zealander AJ Hackett. The bridge offers an impressive view of the Mzymta River. The bridge has platforms for fans of bungee jumping (jumping from a height on a cable). The bridge is capable of withstanding an earthquake of magnitude 9.

GLASS BRIDGE (2015). GEOPARK IN THE YUNTAISHAN MOUNTAINS. CHINA

This is the longest glass bridge in the world. It is located in the Hunan Province Geopark in the Yuntai Mountains at an altitude of 180 m and is considered one of the most terrible on the planet.


The bridge was completely rebuilt in 2015. The previous structure connecting the peaks of Stone Buddha Mountain was made of wood and had deteriorated over time. However, 11 fearless engineers, working 12 hours a day, managed to turn it into a unique 300-meter glass “attraction” that creates the illusion of walking on air at a great height.

Not everyone dares to walk across the Glass Bridge. The base of the bridge is made of double-layer glass 24 millimeters thick, which is 25 times stronger than ordinary window glass. The builders claim that the bridge can withstand a load of 800 kilograms per square meter.

Why did the bridge crack?

However, as soon as it opened, the super-strong glass bridge suddenly cracked when one of the tourists dropped a metal thermos of water on it. Eyewitnesses say they were frightened by a loud sound and felt vibrations. Panic set in, people screamed and tried to run away from the bridge, risking running over each other - a word from some blockbuster. Fortunately, it didn’t go beyond the cracks, and no one was hurt. The fall of the thermos damaged only one glass layer out of three. Experts believe that the architects are not to blame. It's all about the features of glass - as a material. As we know from the laws of physics, even bulletproof glass can crack if it hits a certain point. Apparently, the thermos hit just such a point. However, given the presence of several layers of glass, each of which has its own “risk points”, the probability of breaking the bridge completely, even due to a strong blow, is virtually zero.

ECOLOGICAL BRIDGE (2015). HUBEI PROVINCE. CHINA

Built in Hubei Province The world's first ecological low-water bridge above a river. What is noteworthy is that the four-kilometer bridge does not run across the river, but directly along the riverbed, which made it possible not to cut down trees during its construction. The bridge is part of a highway, 10.5 km long. It exactly follows the bends of the river and connects the mountainous district with the central highway. This bridge became a tourist attraction as soon as it opened. And many travelers have already decided to take a ride along the new ecological highway.

AKASHI-KAIKE BRIDGE (1998). ISLANDS OF HONSHU AND AWADZI. JAPAN

Akashi-Kaike Bridge- one of the main works of engineering art in Japan. The longest suspension bridge in the world, reaching almost four kilometers. The length of the steel cables stretched along the bridge is a total of 300 thousand kilometers. This is enough to wrap around the Earth 7.5 times! The bridge crosses the Akashi Strait and connects the city of Kobe on Honshu Island with the city of Awaji on Awaji Island. It is part of one of the three highways connecting Honshu and Shikoku.



Before the construction of the bridge, ferries operated across the Akashi Strait, which was very dangerous due to strong storms. In fact, construction of the bridge began in 1988, and the opening took place on April 5, 1998. First, two concrete foundations for the pylons were built at the bottom of the Akashi Strait. To do this, two huge round forms were placed on the shore for pouring concrete, then they were flooded. The difficulty was to sink them with great precision, but the bridge builders managed this, despite the strong current in the Akashi Strait. For the construction of this bridge, special concrete was developed that does not dissolve in water when poured. The next stage of bridge construction was the pulling of cables, which was carried out using a helicopter. In 1995, when both cables were stretched and the installation of the roadway could begin, a major earthquake of 7.3 magnitude occurred. And due to changes in the topography of the bottom of the strait, one of the pylons moved 1 m to the side, thus violating all calculations. However, engineers found a solution, and construction works We were only delayed for a month. Due to the high cost of travel ($20), few car owners use the bridge, preferring to cross the strait by bus or, as before, by ferry.

SUSPENSION BRIDGE. NEPAL

There is a suspension bridge in Nepal, which was created not to decorate the landscape or attract tourists, but for the convenience of local residents. This bridge is stretched over the gorge, and every day hundreds of people and livestock cross it at their own peril and risk due to the lack of any alternatives. The structure of the bridge is very mobile and weak, so walking on it is very scary.

"BRIDGE OF THE MONKEYS". TATTON PARK. GREAT BRITAIN

An almost weightless bridge hovers over the pond, suspended on three huge white balloons in English Tatton Park. The composition is called "Monkey Bridge". The author of the bridge is the French artist Olivier Grossetete. Unfortunately, people are not allowed to run along such a crossing; it’s just a fabulous art installation.

MILLFU VIADUCT. FRANCE

Futuristic bridge over the clouds Millfu Viaduct is located in France. At the time of its construction, the Millau Viaduct was the highest transport bridge in the world. The height of one of its supports reaches 341 m, i.e. she's taller Eiffel Tower and just 40 meters below the Empire State Building in New York. The total length of the bridge is 2,460 m. Driving across this architectural miracle, it seems as if you are taking off.

RAINBOW FOUNTAIN BRIDGE BANPO BRIDGE (2009). SEOUL. KOREA

The fountain bridge is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the bridge on which the world's longest fountain is located (length - 1140 m). The bridge connects the two banks of the Hanshui River in the South Korean city of Seoul and became a fountain only in 2009. To the music, water jets illuminated by multi-colored LEDs move, performing a beautiful dance.

“DRUNKEN BRIDGE”/STORSEISUNDET BRU (1989).
PROVINCE OF MËRE-OG-ROMSDAL. NORWAY

Storseisundet bru- one of the seven unique bridges Atlantic Road» Norway, connecting the mainland and the island of Averøy in the province of Møre og Romsdal. The Storsezandet Bridge is built in such a way that, when approaching, it creates the illusion of a springboard from which you can take off with your car. Locals They call this bridge “Drunk” because its shape constantly changes depending on the viewing angle.

HANGING BRIDGE KIKKI (1991). PREFECTURE MIE. JAPAN

The unique Kikki Y-shaped suspension bridge at the Aoyama Kogen Golf Club in Mie Prefecture was designed in 1991. The length of the bridge is 12 meters. This bridge provides club members with easy access from the clubhouse to the golf course. The uniqueness of the design lies in the fact that the bridge is designed without a single support and can be folded and unfolded. The bridge is controlled by hydraulic pumps in the railings. From an architectural point of view, the Kikki Bridge is incredibly beautiful; its railings are made of precious wood and decorated with very fine carvings in the national style.

BRIDGE-AQUEDUCTWASSERSTRAßENKREUZ MAGDEBURG(2003). BERLIN. GERMANY

Wasserstraßenkreuz Magdeburg is the largest water bridge in Germany, connecting the inland port of Berlin with ports on the Rhine. The length of the bridge is 918 m. The bridge is located 10 km north of the center of Magdeburg. On the right bank of the Elbe near the bridge there is locality Hohenwart.

The idea of ​​building such a bridge was first expressed back in 1919, and by 1938 the Rothensee shiplift and bridge supports were ready. During the First and Second World Wars, construction was delayed. Also, after the division of Germany into the Federal Republic of Germany and the GDR, construction was postponed indefinitely by the GDR government. With the reunification of Germany, the construction of the bridge again became a priority. Construction began in 1997 and was completed six years later. In total, 0.5 billion euros were spent on the project. Before the construction of the bridge, the ships were forced to make a twelve-kilometer detour through the Rothensee lock along the Elbe and through the Nigripp lock.

BRIDGE PYTHON/PYTHONBRUG (2001). AMSTERDAM. NETHERLANDS

Pythonbrug- a serpentine bridge in Amsterdam connecting the Sporenburg Peninsula with the island of Borneo. This is one of the most bizarre bridges in the world. It was built in 2001. The design and construction of this post was carried out by West 8.

BRIDGE-RESTAURANT AYOLA (2003). GRATZ. AUSTRIA

In 2003, New York architect Vito Acconci created the Iola Island Bridge, which spans the Mur River in the city of Graz. The island part of the bridge is a small restaurant in the middle of the river with an interesting interior and an observation deck.

BRIDGE PONTE VECCHIO (1345). FLORENCE. ITALY

Ponte Vecchio - the oldest bridge in Florence and the only one that has preserved its original appearance. The bridge was built in 1345. A distinctive feature of the Ponte Vecchio is the houses crowded on both sides of it. In the center of the bridge the row of buildings is interrupted open area, from which you can admire the river and other bridges of the city.

ROYAL GORGE BRIDGE (1929). GRAND ARKANSAS RIVER CANYON. USA

366 meter bridge Royal Gorge, designed by George Cole and Frank Stahl in Grand Canyon Arkansas River, became the prototype for Jurassic Park. This canyon became especially famous in the mid-19th century. At that time, native silver was found there, but the deposit was quickly depleted. But archaeologists found the remains of dinosaurs in these places, and Canyon City instantly became a popular tourist town, especially for which a unique suspension bridge-attraction with a boardwalk was built. True, in the 1960s, Royal Gorge became notorious as the “suicide bridge”, where those who wanted to take their own lives specially came. Fortunately, at the beginning of the 21st century. They were replaced by tourists who wanted to make extreme jumps from the legendary bridge.

GATESHEAD MILLENNIUM BRIDGE (2001). GATESHEAD, NEWCASTLE. GREAT BRITAIN

The 126-metre Swinging Bridge over the River Tyne between Gateshead and Newcastle, built by architects Chris Wilkinson and Jim Eyre to celebrate the new millennium, is a unique lift-and-swing structure. This design is based on two arches connected by cables, one of which serves as a pedestrian path capable of passing small ships underneath; and the other is raised above the water by about 50 m. When a tall vessel approaches the bridge, the bridge performs a pirouette - the so-called “winking eye”, when six hydraulic jacks rotate both arches 40 degrees around the axis connecting their ends and their top points appear at a height of approximately 25 m above the water. Thus, the bridge “winks” about 2000 times a year, and every time a lot of people gather to look at it. The bridge, weighing more than 800 tons, is capable of withstanding a collision with a ship with a displacement of up to 4,000 tons traveling at speeds of up to 4 knots. Gateshead Millennium Bridge has won more than 30 engineering, architectural and design awards. In 2007, the Royal Mint featured him on the reverse of the £1 coin.

SKY BRIDGE/LANGKAWI SKY BRIDGE (2004). LANGKAWI ISLAND. MALAYSIA

Architects: Peter Wyss, Höltschi & Schurter Dipl. Ing. ETH/SIA AG.

The mysteriously curved “Sky Bridge” actually seems to be floating over an abyss at an altitude of 700 m above sea level. Langkawi Sky Bridge is located near the top of Mount Mat Chichang on resort island Langkawi. Once a hiding place for pirates of the Andaman Sea, it is now a UNESCO Geopark. The length of the bridge is 125 m. It is supported by just one column and cables fixed in the rocks. Cable car in two stages with an intermediate stop, it takes tourists to a viewing bridge at an altitude of 712 m, from where a view of the gorges, the sea and the nearby islands of Thailand opens. In 2005, the bridge was awarded an award at the international Footbridge competition.

TRANSFORMER BRIDGE/ROLLING BRIDGE (2005). PADDINGTON. GREAT BRITAIN

The unique octagonal transformable bridge in Paddington literally unfolds every Friday at noon, turning into a 12-meter footpath over the boat channel adjacent to the canal between London and Birmingham.


The English sculptor Thomas Heatherwick, who created this miracle together with Anthony Hunt and Pacman Lucas, spied the principle of operation of this “segmented kinetic sculpture” from... a garden caterpillar. Hydraulic pistons are hidden in the folding metal parapet of the bridge, synchronously unfolding and collapsing the bridge, which received the prestigious British Structural Steel Design Award in 2005.

HENDERSON WAVES (2008). SINGAPORE

This 36-meter pedestrian bridge- the tallest in Singapore. It links Mount Faber Park and Telok Blangah Hill Park.

The length of the bridge is 274m. The design of the bridge is quite unusual. Seven ribbed steel bulges above and below the bridge deck form a system of side niches that provide seating areas with benches and tables. The internal decoration of the bridge is made of yellow balau wood, the external one is made of ribbed plate metal structures, in which lighting fixtures are hidden for beautiful night illuminations.

GESHER HA-MEITARIM (2008).ISRAEL

The 360-meter bridge at the intersection of Herzl Boulevard and Jaffa Road in Jerusalem is a double anniversary: ​​it was created for the 60th anniversary of the State of Israel and is the fortieth bridge in the work of the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. According to the architect, the bridge for the light rail line with pedestrian walkways, suspended on 66 cables, assembled into a single parabolic structure on one pylon 119 m high, symbolizes the harp of King David. The first two years after the opening, before the launch of the tram line, the bridge was exclusively pedestrian, contrary to forecasts and objections, becoming one of the architectural landmarks ancient city. The new bridge unexpectedly found itself at the center of a political scandal. It lies on the border of East Jerusalem, which was captured by Israel during the Six-Day War and is still legally considered occupied Palestinian territory. PLO hardliners strongly objected to the construction and threatened to sue the Israeli government.

PONT GUSTAVE-FLAUBERT (2008). ROUAN.FRANCE

Pont Gustave-Flaubert is located in Rouen and is considered the highest drawbridge in Europe (total height 91 m, lifting height of the roadway 55 m). Its length is 670 m. The bridge was designed by Aymeric Zoublin, Michel Virlogeaux and Francois Gillard in such a way that not only cruise ships, but also sailing ships participating in the “Rouen Armada” ship parade. By the way, its opening took place before the next “Armada”. The bridge is named after the French writer Gustave Flaubert, who was born in Rouen, and its lifting mechanism is started 30-40 times a year. Each highway surface has its own lifting section. At the same time, the opening between the bridge platforms, hanging over the river at a height of 7 m, partially preserves the flow of sunlight to the water under the bridge, which supports the natural ecosystem of the river.

BRIDGE OF PEACE (2010). TBILISI. GEORGIA

The 156-meter pedestrian bridge of Peace over the Kura River, connecting Old Tbilisi with new microdistricts, is one of the most recognizable buildings in the Georgian capital.

Bridge of Peace in Tbilisi. Photo: soloway.org.ua

The bridge, with its Norman Foster-inspired glass panel canopy, was designed by Italian architect Michele De Lucchi and French lighting designer Philippe Martineau.

An interesting illumination system is built into the design of the Peace Bridge: in the evening and at night, every hour, 30,000 light bulbs broadcast a message in Morse code, visible on both parapets of the bridge. This message is made up of the names of the elements of the periodic table that make up the human body. According to the architect, “this message is a hymn to life and peace between people and nations.” For Tbilisi, this bridge played the same role as the Eiffel Tower for Paris, becoming a new symbol of the ancient city, being a modern technological construction.

MOSES BRIDGE (2011). FORT ROVER. NETHERLANDS

Moses Bridge- the newest of the unusual bridges in the world. It is located in Fort Roover, built back in the 17th century. as part of the Brabant line of structures protecting Holland from the invasion of the French and Spaniards.

During the large-scale reconstruction of the fort, the designers were given a difficult task - to throw a bridge over the fortress moat for tourists, making it almost invisible. The architects coped with the task brilliantly; the bridge was designed in such a way that the pedestrian deck is below the water level. From a distance it is invisible, but upon closer inspection it resembles a small ditch cutting through a river. Hence the name in honor of the prophet Moses, before whom the waters parted. The bridge is made of specially treated and water-resistant wood. "Moses Bridge" was one of the finalists in the prestigious Dutch Design Awards.