THE BEST ENGINEERED DESIGNS OF ALL TIME

Surprisingly, the city with the largest number of bridges in Europe is not Venice, as many people think, but Hamburg. There are more than 2,300 bridges in this city, 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 latest ones, is able to glorify an absolutely obscure place and, at the same time, become the most memorable architectural landmark of cities and geoparks with a long history...

VINOGRADOVSKY BRIDGE (1985). KRASNOYARSK. RUSSIA

Vinogradovsky bridge- pedestrian through the channel of the Yenisei in Krasnoyarsk, a favorite place for walks of the townspeople and a tourist symbol of the city. This bridge is 550 meters long and 10 meters wide.

Initially, the bridge was named after the founder of Krasnoyarsk Andrey Dubensky. However, after some time, by order of the city administration, a unique design was named after the architect-builder Sergey Nikolaevich Vinogradov, the head of Bridge Crew No. 7, who built this bridge.

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

BEIPANJIANG (2016). ZHEJIANG AND YUNNAN PROVINCE, 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 has become part of the high-speed highway 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 the docking of the two halves of the bridge connected the other day is only 5 mm!

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

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

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

Unique road-rail design Oresundsbron(compromise between Danish Øresundsbroen and Swedish Oresundsbron ) connects Denmark (Copenhagen) and Sweden (Malmö) through the Øresund Strait. It 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 bearing pylons allow navigation in the alignment of the main span, 490 m long, 57 m high. However, most ships pass through the strait above the tunnel without hindrance.

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

Scenic Bridge (2007). MOSCOW. RUSSIA

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

The competition for the best design of this bridge, which was supposed to connect three banks of the Moskva River at once, was announced in the early 2000s. In the end, the idea of ​​Omsk architects from LLC NPO MOSTOVIK 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, the width is 40 m, the height of the arch is 105 m. The length of the main span is more than 400 meters, which ensures comfortable traffic river vessels. The main "highlight" of the Picturesque bridge is the unique observation deck and a restaurant in the form of an elliptical "flying saucer", as if frozen above the water at a height of 100 meters...

BRIDGE HARBOR BRIDGE / HARBOR BRIDGE (1932). SYDNEY. AUSTRALIA

Harbor Bridge- the largest bridge in Sydney and one of the largest steel arch bridges in the world. Sydney people jokingly call this bridge "Hanger" due to its remarkable shape. The bridge opened on March 19, 1932. The length of the arch 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.

Harbor Bridge connects the business part of the city (South Bank) with the central ( north coast) and crosses Port Jackson Bay.

In one of the towers of the bridge there is a museum and an observation deck Pylon Lookout, which offers great view to the harbor and city centre. To climb the side arch of the bridge to its top, you only need rubber-soled shoes and a special suit with insurance, which is issued on the spot, the instructor will help you with everything else.

RAILWAY BRIDGE THROUGH 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 project of superstructures, developed by engineer E.N. Adadurov, was approved by the Siberian Railway Construction Department 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 was destroyed by the retreating troops of Kolchak. However, soon on Chusovsky steel plant new structures were made for the destroyed farm, and already on February 18, 1920, traffic on the Kamsky bridge was restored. The bridge has reached our timein a rebuilt form. In 1953, the bridge was expanded by dismantling ice cutters and erecting supports on the existing caisson base. Not only Russian, but also German and Hungarian factories were involved in the reconstruction (on account of repartitions).In 1988, the span structures were replaced by new ones designed by 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 200 passenger and freight traffic passes 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 sea Olympic capital of Russia.

Skybridge can get into the Guinness Book of Records as the longest suspension bridge in the world. A 700-meter cable car leads to it. The structure sits at a height of 218m, reaching 290m above individual sections of the gorge, which is particularly impressive as the bridge is made of a cross-linked polymer and appears transparent.

The width of the bridge is only 70 centimeters. New Zealander AJ Hackett designed the new landmark in Sochi. The bridge offers an impressive view of the Mzymta River. On the bridge there are platforms for fans of bungee jumping (jumping from a height on a cable). The bridge is able to withstand a magnitude 9 earthquake.

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

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

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

Not everyone decides to walk along the Glass Bridge. The base of the bridge is made of two-layer glass 24 millimeters thick, which is 25 times stronger than ordinary window panes. The builders claim that the bridge is able to 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 unexpectedly cracked when one of the tourists dropped a metal thermos of water on it. Eyewitnesses say that they were frightened by a loud sound and felt vibrations. Panic broke out, people screamed and tried to run off the bridge, risking crushing each other - a word in some blockbuster. Fortunately, things did not go beyond the cracks, and no one was hurt. Only one glass layer out of three was damaged from the fall of the thermos. Experts believe that the fault of the architects is not here. 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 hit at a certain point. Apparently, the thermos hit just that 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 the strongest blow, is actually zero.

ENVIRONMENTAL BRIDGE (2015). HUBEI PROVINCE. CHINA

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

AKASHI-KAIKE BRIDGE (1998). HONSHU AND AWAJI ISLANDS. 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 steel cables stretched along the bridge is a total of 300,000 kilometers. That's enough to wrap the Earth 7.5 times! The bridge crosses the Akashi Strait and connects the city of Kobe on the island of Honshu with the city of Awaji on the island of Awaji. It is part of one of the three highways connecting Honshu and Shikoku.

Before the bridge was built, ferries ran across the Akashi Strait, which was very dangerous due to severe storms. In fact, the construction of the bridge began in 1988, and the opening took place on April 5, 1998. Initially, two concrete bases for the pylons were built at the bottom of the Akashi Strait. To do this, two huge round molds were placed on the shore for pouring concrete, then they were flooded. The difficulty was to sink them with great accuracy, but the builders of the bridge coped with this, despite the strong current in the Akashi Strait. For the construction of this bridge, a special concrete was developed that does not dissolve in water when poured. The next step in the construction of the bridge was the pulling of cables, which was carried out using a helicopter. In 1995, when both cables were stretched and it was possible to proceed with the installation of the roadway, there was a major earthquake of 7.3 points. And due to the change in the relief of the bottom of the strait, one of the pylons moved 1 m to the side, thus violating all calculations. However, the engineers found a solution, and construction work was delayed by only a month. Due to the high fare ($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 in the absence of any alternatives. The structure of the bridge is very mobile and weak, so it is very scary to walk on it.

"MONKEY BRIDGE". TATTON PARK. GREAT BRITAIN

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

VIADUCT MILLAU/MILLFU VIADUCT. FRANCE

Futuristic bridge above the clouds Millfu Viaduct located in France. At the time of its construction, the Millau Viaduct was the tallest traffic bridge in the world. The height of one of its pillars reaches 341 m, i.e. she is 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. architectural marvel seems like you're taking off.

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

The fountain bridge is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the bridge on which the longest fountain in the world 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, illuminated by multi-colored LEDs, the jets of water move, performing a beautiful dance.

"DRUNK BRIDGE" / STORSEISUNDET BRU (1989).
MËRE-OG-ROMSDAL PROVINCE. NORWAY

Storseisundet bru- one of the seven bridges of the unique "Atlantic Road" of Norway, connecting the mainland and the island of Averoy in the province of Møre og Romsdal. The Storsesandet bridge is built in such a way that, at the moment of approach, it creates the illusion of a springboard from which you can take off with the car. locals They call this bridge "Drunken", because its shape is constantly changing depending on the angle of view.

SUSPENSION BRIDGE KIKKI (1991). MIE PREFECTURE. 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 members of the club with a free passage from the club house 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 railing. 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- the largest water bridge in Germany, connecting the inner port of Berlin with the 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 is locality Hohenwart.

For the first time, the idea of ​​building such a bridge was expressed as early as 1919, and by 1938 the Rothensee ship lift and bridge supports were ready. During the First and Second World Wars, construction was delayed. Also, after the division of Germany into the FRG and the GDR, construction was postponed indefinitely by the government of the GDR. 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 Rotenseev 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. This post was designed and built by West 8.

AIOLA BRIDGE RESTAURANT (2003). GRATS. AUSTRIA

In 2003, New York architect Vito Acconci designed the Aiola 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.

PONTE VECCHIO BRIDGE (1345). FLORENCE. ITALY

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

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

366 meter bridge Royal Gorge, designed by George Cole and Frank Stahl in the Grand Canyon of the Arkansas River, became the prototype of the "Jurassic Park". This canyon gained particular fame in the middle of the 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 attraction bridge with a boardwalk was built. True, in the 1960s, Royal Gorge became infamous as a “suicide bridge”, where those who wished to commit suicide specially came. Fortunately, at the beginning of the XXI century. they were replaced by tourists who want to make extreme jumps from the legendary bridge.

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

The 126m Swing 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 swing-and-turn structure. At the heart of this design are two arches connected by cables, one of which serves as a footpath capable of passing small vessels under it; and the other is raised about 50 m above the water. When a tall vessel approaches the bridge, the bridge performs a pirouette - the so-called “winking eye”, when six hydraulic jacks turn both arches 40 degrees around the axis connecting their ends, and their upper points are at a height of about 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 able to withstand a collision with a ship with a displacement of up to 4000 tons, moving at a speed of up to 4 knots. The Gateshead Millennium Bridge has won over 30 engineering, architectural and design awards. In 2007, the Royal Mint placed his image on the reverse of the one pound coin.

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

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

The mysteriously curved "Heavenly Bridge" really seems to be hovering over an abyss at an altitude of 700 m above sea level. Langkawi Sky Bridge is located near the top of Mat Chichang Mountain on resort island Langkawi. Pirates once hid there andaman sea and is now a UNESCO Geopark. The length of the bridge is 125 m. It rests on just one column and cables fixed in the rocks. cable car in two stages with an intermediate stop, it lifts tourists to the observation 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 the Footbridge International Competition.

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

The unique octagonal transformer bridge in Paddington literally unfolds every Friday at noon, turning into a 12-meter walkway 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 Packman Lucas, spied on the principle of operation of this “segmented kinetic sculpture” from ... a garden caterpillar. Hidden within the foldable metal parapet of the bridge are hydraulic pistons that synchronously deploy and retract the bridge, which won the prestigious British Structural Steel Design Award in 2005.

HENDERSON WAVES (2008). SINGAPORE

This 36 meter pedestrian bridge is the highest in Singapore. It links Mount Faber Park and Telok Blanga Hill Park.

The length of the bridge is 274m. The design of the bridge is very unusual. Seven ribbed steel bulges above and below the decking of the bridge form a system of side niches in which there are places for recreation, with benches and tables. The interior of the bridge is made of yellow balau wood, the exterior is made of ribbed plate metal structures, in which lighting devices 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 twice jubilee: 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. As conceived by the architect, the bridge for the high-speed tram line with footpaths, suspended on 66 guys assembled into a single parabolic structure on a single 119 m high pylon, 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 suddenly found itself at the center of a political scandal. It is located on the border of East Jerusalem, captured by Israel during the Six Day War and still legally considered the occupied Palestinian territory. The hardliners in the PLO strongly objected to the construction and threatened to sue the Israeli government.

PONT GUSTAVE-FLAUBERT (2008). RUAN.FRANCE

Pont Gustave Flaubert is located in Rouen and is considered the highest drawbridge in Europe (total height 91 m, the height of the roadbed is 55 m). Its length is 670 m. The bridge was designed by Aymeric Zublen, Michel Virlojo and François Gillard in such a way that not only cruise ships, but also sailboats participating in the Rouen Armada ship parade could pass under it. By the way, its opening took place before the next "Armada". The bridge bears the name of the Rouen-born French writer Gustave Flaubert, and its lifting mechanism is launched 30-40 times a year. Each roadbed has its own lift section. At the same time, the opening between the platforms of the bridge, hanging over the river at a height of 7 m, partly retains the influx 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 Peace Bridge over the Kura River, connecting Old Tbilisi with new neighborhoods, is one of the most recognizable buildings in the Georgian capital.

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

The Norman Foster-inspired glass-paneled bridge was designed by Italian architect Michele de Lucchi in collaboration with French lighting designer Philippe Martino.

A curious 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 structure.

MOSES BRIDGE (2011). FORT ROVER. NETHERLANDS

Moses Bridge- the newest of the unusual bridges in the world. It is located in Fort Roover, built 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 brilliantly coped with the task, the bridge was designed in such a way that the pedestrian flooring is below the water level. From a distance it is invisible, but upon closer inspection it resembles a small ditch cutting through the river. Hence the name in honor of the prophet Moses, before whom the waters parted. The bridge is made of specially treated and resistant to aquatic environment wood. The Moses Bridge was shortlisted for the prestigious Dutch Design Awards.

02.06.2013

The longest bridges in the world

No. 5. Qingdao Bay Bridge

Construction period: 2007-2011

This the longest water bridge located in China, stretching over the Jiaozhou Bay for 42 km. The construction of the bridge took no less than 5.5 billion pounds! Six traffic lanes and a reinforced structure, and as a result - a reduction in the time spent on the road from the city to the industrial zone - 30 minutes.

No. 4. Bang Na Highway, Thailand

Construction period: 1995-2000

The 54 km long bridge stretches in Bangkok in the form of a toll highway, which starts at the entrance to the city. The main goal is to fight traffic jams. Six lanes of traffic quite cope with this task.

No. 3. Bridge over Wei, China

Construction period: 2008

The bridge, which crosses the Wei River twice and several other rivers, carries the Zhengzhou Line railway tracks for its 80 km.

No. 2. Tianjin Viaduct, China

Construction period: 2008-2010

Another railway bridge and again in China people's republic. 113.7 km cross the two provinces. Withstand the load of both conventional and high-speed trains.

No. 1. Tanyan-Kunshan Viaduct, China

Construction period: 2008-2010

The longest bridge in the world also intended for the railway. 164.8 km pass both over the water surface (the longest distance is 9 km) and over land.

The largest (highest) bridges in the world

No. 5. Stonecut Bridge, Hong Kong

Construction period: 2004-2009

The bridge connects several islands and belongs to the type of cable-stayed structures. Its height is 298 meters, length is 1 km. In order to avoid destruction by a typhoon, frequent for these territories, the bridge is additionally strengthened.

No. 4. Akashi-Kaikyo, Japan

Construction period: 1994-1998

In addition to its impressive height (298 meters), this bridge is distinguished by another feature: the world's largest span has been created between two supporting pillars - its length is 1991 meters, there are three spans in total. The bridge is paid, however, according to forecasts, it will pay for its construction only after 30 years, excluding inflation.

No. 3. Sutong Bridge across the Yangtze, China

Construction period: 2003-2008

The construction of a 306-meter high road bridge connecting Nantong and Shanghai has reduced the travel time between them from four hours to one.

No. 2. Russian bridge, Russia

Construction period: 2008-2012

This cable-stayed bridge has the largest span among self-similar - 1104 meters! AND the tallest pylons- 324 meters. The bridge connects the mainland with Russky Island, hence the name. despite the scale of the construction and the records set during it, the construction has been repeatedly criticized - mainly for cost and corruption.

No. 1. Viaduct Millau, France

Construction period: 2001-2004

Another cable-stayed bridge this time the highest transport in the world! Its pillars stand at the bottom of a gorge in the Tarn river valley. It is taller than the Eiffel Tower, but lower (40 m) than the Empire State Building in New York. The height of the high point- 343 meters. It was originally conceived in order to eliminate traffic jams on the highways leading from Paris to the south. The project was a success, the A75 highway (of which it is a part) became free and significantly speeds up the movement of motorists.

In this collection you will get acquainted with the largest bridges in the world. But this will not be a simple comparison in terms of length, area or height. Every year more and more new bridges are being built, all higher, longer and more unusual, so here I will talk about record bridges, since each of them at one time was the longest, largest, highest, or original. All the buildings on this list will stand out in some way, which is why they are worth paying attention to. I ask you to take part in discussions, express your point of view and supplement the selection with structures that are interesting in your opinion.

1. We will start with the longest this moment road bridge - Hangzhou in China. This is the longest bridge crossing the ocean - its length is 36 kilometers. You can commit virtual walk Hangzhou from the link above. In the coming years, bridges will be built that will break the record of this bridge, but it will forever remain one of the longest and largest structures of this kind.

2. The highest at the moment is the Millau (Milhaud) viaduct in France. With a height of 343 meters, Millau also holds the record thanks to the world's tallest pylons, as well as the most high towers bridge in the world

3. No less legendary bridge - the Golden Gate in San Francisco. For a long time (almost three decades) it was the largest suspension bridge in the world. He also holds the sad record for the number of suicides. Almost every month, some crazy person jumps into the water from it.

Bridges are divided according to the places through which they pass, into bridges themselves (bridges carry transport and people across rivers, lakes, swamps, straits and other bodies of water), overpasses (they are built over another road) and viaducts (they are built over a ravine, gorge, hollow etc.). Each of these types of bridges has its own "record holders" - bridges with the longest length. It is about the longest bridges on the planet that you can find out in this top 10 largest bridges in the world.

10 Junyang Bridge

The length of this bridge is 35.66 km. It is located in China, in Jiangsu province. The bridge stretches from the city of Zhenjiang to the city of Yangzhou, which are located on different banks of the Yangtze River. The Junyang Bridge opened shortly before May 1, 2005. The road bridge, which is part of the Beijing-Shanghai Expressway, has 6 lanes.

9 Bridge over Hangzhou Bay

This bridge has a length of 35.673 km. Also, this bridge is called the Great Transoceanic Bridge across the Hangzhou Bay. The bridge is located in China and connects two cities: Shanghai and Ningbo. The Hangzhou Bay Bridge is the longest transoceanic bridge in the world. The bridge opened on May 1, 2008. Traffic on this road bridge is possible in two directions. There are three traffic lanes on each side. There is a platform island half way across the bridge. It has a service center where drivers and passengers have the opportunity to relax, refresh themselves and take advantage of a variety of services.

8 Yangcun Bridge

The Yangcun Bridge is 35.812 km long. The bridge is located in China and is part of the high-speed railway connecting Beijing to Tianjin. This bridge was opened in 2008 and is the longest trestle bridge in China.

7 Manchek Swamp Bridge

The length of this bridge is 36.710 km. The Manchek Swamp Bridge is located in the United States, in Louisiana. The bridge was built in 1979 as part of the Louisiana Highway. The Manchek Swamp Bridge allows vehicles to pass over marshland. Since the soil on which the bridge was built was rather unstable, the piles had to be driven into the depth of 75 m and deeper.

6 Dam bridge over Lake Pontchartrain

This bridge stretches for a length of 38.422 km. Also, this bridge is called the bridge between Mandeville and Metairie - this is the name of the cities located on different banks of Lake Pontchartrain and connected by this bridge. The dam bridge over Lake Pontchartrain is located in the USA, in Louisiana. This bridge is supported by over 9,000 concrete piles. This bridge was built in 1969.

5 Qingdao Bay Bridge

This bridge has a length of 42.5 km. The Qingdao Bay Bridge is located in China. The bridge is located in the northern part of Jiaozhou Bay and stretches from the city of Qingdao to the suburban industrial area Huangdao. The bridge was opened in 2011. This road bridge has 6 lanes.

4 Bang Na Highway

This road bridge stretches for a length of 54 km. The Bang Na highway is located in Thailand, in Bangkok. This bridge is an elevated structure of the bridge type. The bridge helps to deal with traffic jams at the entrance to the city. The Bang Na Expressway has three lanes in each direction. You have to pay to travel on the Bang Na Expressway, while the surface road is free. This bridge was opened on February 7, 2000.

3 Bridge over the Wei

The length of the railway bridge across the Wei is impressive - 79.732 km. It is located in China and connects the cities of Zhengzhou and Xi'an. The Wei Bridge is part of the Zhengzhou High-Speed ​​Rail Line. The bridge crosses the Wei River twice and also crosses other rivers, railways and roads. The bridge over the Wei opened on February 6, 2010.

The length of this railway bridge is 164.8 km. The Danyang-Kunshan Viaduct is located in China and is part of the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed ​​Railway. This bridge opened on June 30, 2011. About 9 km of the Danyang-Kunshan viaduct is laid over the water surface. The largest body of water crossed by this bridge is Yangcheng Lake.

There are others interesting bridges. They stand out among similar structures not in length, but in some other qualities, for example, width (Blue Bridge in Russia, in St. Petersburg) or unusual appearance(Banpo Fountain Bridge in the Republic of Korea, in Seoul).

Determining the longest bridge in the world is not an easy task. Within a few recent years there are real "measurement wars" on the basis of determining the longest bridge on Earth. The main reason for this is that it is difficult to determine what exactly is a bridge. Does it have to be above water? Do bridges need to be measured? What if only part of the bridge is above water? While these questions are important, if you want to get a bridge into the Guinness book, we won't go into any particular type of bridge. With that said, here are the 25 longest bridges in the world.

25. Saratov Bridge

After its opening in 1965, the Saratov Bridge across the Volga, located in Saratov, Russia, was the longest bridge in the Soviet Union. Its length is 2,803.7 meters, and it connects Saratov on the right (western) bank of the Volga, with the city of Engels on the left (eastern) bank. In 2008, construction began on a new bridge, and in 2009, the second part of it was completed and opened, resulting in a total length of 12,760 meters.

24. Jubilee Parkway

Photo: flickr.com

The Jubel Parkway is a pair of parallel concrete viaduct bridges carrying Highway 10 across Mobile Bay from the George Wallace Tunnel on Blakeley Island in Mobile, Alabama, east to Spanish Fort Spanish Fort/Daphne, Alabama. Unfortunately, in 1995, one of the largest car accidents occurred on the bridge, as a result of which one person died and ninety were injured.

23. Confederate Bridge

Photo: flickr.com

The Confederation Bridge spans Abegweit Passage, the narrowest part of Northumberland Strait, linking Prince Edward Island to mainland New Brunswick, Canada. It has been called the longest bridge in the world covered in ice during the winter months. An interesting fact is that in order to leave the island, drivers need to pay a fee.

22. Presidential Bridge

Photo: shutterstock

The Presidential Bridge is a truss bridge that spans the Volga River in the Ulyanovsk region of Russia and connects the city of Ulyanovsk with eastern part Ulyanovsk region. This is the second longest bridge in Russia and one of the longest bridges in Europe, its length is 19.98 kilometers. Up to 40,000 vehicles pass through the bridge every day.

21. Bhumibol Bridge

Photo: flickr.com

Also known as the Industrial Ring Road Bridge, Bhumibol is part of a 13 km industrial ring road linking South Bangkok with the province of Samut Prakan. The bridge crosses the Chao Phraya River twice with two cable-stayed spans of 702m and 582m, supported by two diamond-shaped pylons of 173m and 164m. In 2009, the bridge was named after King Bhumidol Adulyadej because, According to tradition, all the bridges that run over the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok are named after members of the royal family.

20. Rio Niteroi Bridge

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

The Costa e Silva Presidential Bridge, commonly known as the Rio Niteroi Bridge, is a box beam bridge located in Guanabara Bay, in the state of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. It connects the cities of Rio de Janeiro and the municipality of Niteroi. It is currently the longest prestressed concrete bridge in southern hemisphere and the sixth longest in the world. It was originally named after the President of Costa e Silva, but is rarely called that today.

19. Penang Bridge

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

The Penang Bridge is a two-lane toll bridge connecting George Town on Penang Island and Seberang Prai on the Malaysian mainland in the Malay Peninsula. The total length of the bridge is 13.5 km, making it the longest bridge in Malaysia and the fourth longest in South-East Asia. Until 2014, it was the only one that connected the peninsula and the island.

18. Bridge across the Kama

Photo: pixabay.com

The bridge across the Kama on the P239 highway is located near the village of Sorochi Gory in Tatarstan, Russia. It is part of the longest bridge structure in Russia in terms of the total length of the flyover. The bridge is part of the longest artificial road structure in Russia. It is considered very important because it is part of the highway that connects the cities and towns of Kazan, Kristopol, Bugulma, Orenburg.

17. Vasco da Gama Bridge

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

The Vasco da Gama Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge flanked by viaducts overlooking the Tagus River near Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. It is the longest bridge in Europe (including viaducts), with a total length of 17.2 km. The bridge also has six lanes (soon to be eight, which will increase traffic) with a speed limit of 120 km per hour.

16. Aerotrain Test Track

Photo: flickr.com

Although not in use, the Aerotrain test track was where the French high-speed rail train was tested in the 1970s. Even though parts of this vast track have been demolished, it can still be seen today.

15. Incheon Bridge

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

The Incheon Bridge (also referred to as the Great Incheon Bridge) is a newly built reinforced concrete bridge in South Korea. When opened in October 2009, it became the second road connecting Yeongjong Island and Incheon on the mainland. It is also the seventh longest cable-stayed bridge, and its length is 12.3 kilometers.

14. Sixth October Bridge

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

The Sixth of October Bridge is an elevated highway in the center of Cairo, Egypt. Bridge and dam 20.5 kilometers long crosses the Nile River twice, passing from the suburbs West Bank, east through Gezira Island in the center of Cairo, and further connects the city with international airport Cairo in the east. Its name is reminiscent of the date of the "Transition", which began on the day the Yom Kippur War began in 1973. In 2011, during the Egyptian Revolution, protesters marched across the bridge to Tahrir Square, and there were also battles between supporters of Mubarek and his opponents.

13. Bridge-tunnel across the Chesapeake Bay (Chesapeake Bay Bridge)

Photo: flickr.com

At first, the tunnel bridge connected 19 km of trestle, two 1.6 km long tunnels, four artificial islands, two high-level bridges, approximately 3.2 km of seawall, and 8.9 km of sidings crossing the Chesapeake. Fun fact! In 1987, the bridge tunnel received official name Lucius J. Kellam Jr. Tunnel Bridge in honor of one of the civic leaders who worked long and hard on the bridge. However, it is now better known as the Chesapeake Bridge Tunnel.

12. Zhejiang Bridge

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

The Zhejiang Bridge is a cable-stayed highway located in Zhejiang, China, on the Zhoushan Archipelago, the largest group of islands in China. The Zhejiang Bridge is also important to Chinese history, uniting the Chinese People's Liberation Army during the Beiping-Tianjin Campaign. The people of Tianjin call it the "Glass Bridge".

11. Jiaozhou Bay Bridge

Photo: creativecommons.org

The Jiaozhou Bay Bridge is the longest overwater bridge in the world, if you count the lengths of all parts (some parts are suspended above the land). The length of this bridge is 42.6 kilometers, and the length over the water is only 25.9 kilometers. This one competed with the Pontchartrain Lake Bridge, which was also named the longest overwater bridge, causing the Guinness World Records to create two categories of "longest overwater bridge".

10. Atchafalaya Basin Bridge

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

The Atchafalaya Basin Bridge consists of two parallel bridges in US state Louisiana, located between Baton Rouge and Lafayette, which carries Route 10 over the Atchafalaya Basin. This bridge is also known as the Louisiana Memorial Airborne Bridge. It is better to drive on these bridges with caution. Due to the narrowness of the two river crossings and the absence of a shoulder, many accidents occur here. Apparently, there were so many accidents that in 1999 the governor had to reduce the speed limit from 112 km per hour to 100 km per hour.

9. Zhuhai-Macau Bridge

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

The Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is a 54 km long bridge in Hong Kong, which consists of three cable-stayed bridges, an underwater tunnel and four artificial islands. The bridge was built in 120 years and cost 126.9 billion yuan, which is equal to 18.77 billion US dollars. It is currently considered the longest bridge across the sea.

8. Donghai Bridge

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

The Donghai Bridge is one of the longest sea bridges in the world. Its total length is 32.5 kilometers and it connects mainland Shanghai and Yangshan Deep Sea Port in China. Too heavy vehicles cannot move on the bridge because the track is too narrow.

7. Runyang Bridge

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

The Junyang Bridge is a large bridge complex that crosses the Yangtze River in Jiangsu Province, China, below Nanjing. The complex consists of two large bridges that connect Zhenjiang at south coast rivers and Yangzhou (Yangzhou) in the north. The bridge is part of the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway. It holds the record as the world's third largest suspension bridge and also as the largest bridge in China.

6. Hangzhou Bay Bridge

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

With a length of 35,673 km, the Hangzhou Bay Bridge is one of the longest transoceanic bridges in the world. The purpose of this bridge was to reduce travel time from Ningbo and Shanghai. This has been done. Previously, this journey took four hours, but now it takes two.

5. Swamp Bridge in Manchac

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

The Swamp Bridge at Manchaca is a double concrete trestle bridge in the US state of Louisiana. It is located near Lake Pontchartrain, famous for its incredibly long bridges, as you will soon see. While the bridge is completely safe to ride, Louisiana legend has it that the bridge is inhabited by a Cajun werewolf called Rougarou, or voodoo princess. However, despite these creepy stories, the only thing drivers should be wary of is the alligators that live under the bridge.

4. Lake Pontchartrain Dam

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

The Lake Pontchartrain Dam is said to be the longest bridge in the United States and the world's longest overwater bridge (continuous). It consists of two parallel bridges crossing Lake Pontchartrain in South Louisiana, USA. The length of the two bridges is 38.35 km. There was some disagreement as to which bridge was considered the longest surface bridge. For over 10 years, the Pontchartrain Lake Dam has been listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest surface bridge. However, in 2011, this title was awarded to the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge in China. Many in the US have disputed this, claiming that the dam is 38 km long over water, making it the longest. Guinness ended the controversy by creating two categories, one for the longest bridge (continuous), which was assigned to the Lake Pontchartrain Dam, and a second for the longest bridge (by cumulative length), which was assigned to the Jiazhou Bridge.

3. Bang Na Bridge



Photo: shutterstock

The Bang Na Bridge is a 55 km six-lane highway located in Thailand. The bridge runs along the Bang Na–Trat Highway. For a long time it was considered one of the longest bridges in the world (until 2010 the longest), but it is excluded from some lists, since for most of its length it does not pass over a body of water. The largest body of water it crosses is the Bang Pakong River.

2. Tianjin Great Bridge

Photo: flickr.com

The Tianjin Grand Bridge is a railway viaduct that runs between Langfang and Qingxian, and is part of the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway. This is one of the longest bridges in the world with a total length of about 113.7 km. According to Guinness, it holds the record for the second longest bridge in the world.

1. Danyang-Kunshan Big Bridge



Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

The Danyang-Kunshan Big Bridge is the longest bridge in the world and is currently listed with such a record in the Guinness Book of Records. This viaduct is 164.8 kilometers long at the expressway. railway Beijing-Shanghai, whose geography is characterized by flat rice fields, canals, rivers and lakes. The bridge took four years to build and cost more than $8 billion.