01. Ponte Vecchio, Florence, Italy: Oldest and famous
Locale: Florence, Italy | Crosses: Arno River
Design: Closed-Spandrel segmental stone arch bridge
Width: 32m (105ft) | Longest span: 30m (98ft)
Ponte Vecchio (which means "Old Bridge") in Florence is one of the famous tourist attractions in Italy, and is considered the oldest stone arch bridge in Europe. Even the bridge itself is older. Actually built from wood until it was destroyed by floods in 1333, and twelve years later the bridge was rebuilt using stone.
Famous for its many shops, the bridge is also a home for everyone from traders and butchers to the gift shop and art sales from the Middle Ages.
02. Ponte Sant'Angelo, Rome, Italy
Locale: Rome, Italy | Crosses: Tiber
Design: Arch bridge | Material: Stone
Carries: Pedestrian | Longest span: 18m
Ponte Sant’Angelo spanning the Tiber in Rome, one of the eight stone bridges the Romans are known to have built over the Tiber between 200 B.C. and A.D. 260, is the most celebrated of the six “massive beauties” still in use, said Judith Dupré, author of Bridges.
“The Romans perfected the masonry arch,” she said, allowing them to span much greater distances than previously. “Much of Roman engineering genius is underwater, hidden from view, but their inventions—including the cofferdam, cutwater piers that divide water current, and pozzolano, a type of waterproof concrete—are still used today,” Dupré said.
Ponte Sant’ Angelo, originally named for Hadrian, the emperor who reigned during its construction, leads to his mausoleum, Castel Sant’ Angelo, a popular tourist attraction in Rome.
03. Lonardo's "Golden Horn" Bridge, Norway
Locale: Oslo, Norway | Architect: Vebjørn Sand
Designed in 1502 by Leonardo da Vinci to span the “Golden Horn,” the famous waterway in Istanbul that separates Europe and Asia, the stone bridge was never built because the Turkish sultan feared that it was not technically feasible. A scaled down, laminated wood and stainless steel version based on the famous artist’s original plan is now a footbridge near Oslo, Norway.
“For 500 years the beauty and symbolism of this graceful bridge remained an obscure drawing in one of Leonardo’s notebooks, until it was brought into being in Norway in 2001 by the contemporary artist Vebjorn Sand,” according to the website of The Leonardo Bridge Project, a global public arts project.
Built in collaboration with the Norwegian transportation ministry, the bridge was the first civil engineering idea by Leonardo to be realized.
04. Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge, Cornish,USA
Locale: Cornish, New Hampshire to Windsor, Vermon | Cost: $9000
Design: Town lattice truss bridge | Material: Wood
Length: 137m (449ft 5in) | Longest span: 62.2m (204ft)
The Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge, built in 1866, crosses the Connecticut River between New Hampshire and Vermont. Cited as the longest two –lane covered bridge in America, it is on the National Register of Historic Places. The bridges were covered to protect the structures from snow, ice, and rain and ensure their longevity. But due to wood’s vulnerably to fire, floods, and other natural disasters, and with the advent of cars and highways, few remain today. By the mid 50's, there were less than two thousand left, according to Dupré.
05. Brooklyn Bridge, New York, USA
Locale: New York City (Manhattan-Brooklyn)| Crosses: East River
Designer: John Augustus Roebling | Toll: Free both ways
Length: 1825 m (5989 ft) | Longest span: 486.3m (1595ft 6in)
Carries: Motor vehicles, Elivated trains, Street cars, Pedestrian, Bicycle
Few bridges are as iconic as New York’s beloved Brooklyn Bridge, which spans the East River and connects Manhattan and Brooklyn. Among the world’s first wire cable suspension bridges, it established a number of engineering precedents, according to the National Park Service, which designated the bridge a National Historic Landmark.
The bridge was conceived in 1855 by John Roebling (who died before ground was broken), and work was carried out first by Roebling’s son, and later by his daughter-in-law. The Brooklyn Bridge is a quintessential American landmark. Since opening day in 1883, it “has tugged on the human heart for as many reasons as there are hearts.”
06.Magdeburg Water Bridge, Magdeburg, Germany
Locale: Magdeburg, near Berlin| Crosses: River Elbe
Water Depth: 4.25m | Longest span: 106m
Length: 918 m (690 m over land and 228 m over water)
On September 9, 2008, the Banpo Bridge in Seoul (South Korea) got a major facelift: a 10,000-nozzle fountain that runs all the way on both sides. Immediately after being installed, the bridge turned into a major tourist attraction, as the bridge pumps out 190 tons of water per minute using the water from the river below.
6 years, 500 million euros, 918 meters long.......now this is engineering! This is a channel-bridge over the River Elbe and joins the former East and West Germany, as part of the unification project. It is located in the city of Magdeburg, near Berlin. Taking six years to build and costing around half a billion euros, the massive undertaking will connect Berlin's inland harbor with the ports along the Rhine river. At the center of the project is Europe's longest water bridge measuring in just shy of a kilometer at 918 meters. The huge tub to transport ships over the Elbe took 24,000 metric tons of steel and 68,000 cubic meters of concrete to build. The water bridge will enable river barges to avoid a lengthy and sometimes unreliable passage along the Elbe. Shipping can often come to a halt on the stretch if the river's water mark falls to unacceptably low levels.
07. Sundial Bridge, Redding, California, USA
Locale: Redding, California| Crosses: Sacramento River
Designer: Santiago Calatrava | Length: 213m (700ft)
The Sundial Bridge in Redding, California is a pedestrian bridge, 213 m long and 7 m wide; it is stretched precisely from south to north, making the bridge a functioning sundial.
Last but not least, moving yet further east around the globe, we reach a humble walking bridge in Redding, California. The stylish Sundial Bridge across the Sacramento River is a glass-bottom bridge that connects a network of walking and biking trails. The requirement before planning the bridge was that it could not cast too much shadow over the river as Turtle Bay happens to be one of the best salmon spawning places in California. Therefore, the design is light and airy. Opened in July 2004, the bridge’s construction cost €17.4 million.
08. Millau Viaduct, Millau, France
Locale: Millau-Creissels, France | Crosses: Valley of the River Tarn
Design: Cable-stayed bridge | Longest span: 42 m (1,122 ft)
Number of Spans: 204m (669ft), 6 × 342 m (1122ft), 204m (669ft)
2,460 m long, 32 m wide & 343 m high.
Towering 1,125-ft above the Tarn Valley in southern France, driving along the Millau Viaduct is said to feel like flying. This Foster + Partners marvel is slightly taller than the Eiffel Tower, took three years to build and opened to the public in 2004.
While it may provide picturesque views of the valley below, once the mist descends it is not a route for the faint hearted! The deck is lofted on 7 pylons and weighs 36,000 tonnes. A series of 7 masts, each 292-ft tall and weighing 700 tonnes, are attached to the corresponding pylons.
09. The Henderson Waves Bridge, Singapore: Most Beautiful Pedestrian Bridge
This beautiful and amazing wave shaped pedestrian bridge is the highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore connecting Mount Faber Park and Telok Blangah Hill Park in Singapore. Henderson Waves is a 274-metre (899 ft) long pedestrian bridge. It is 36 meters (118 ft) above Henderson Road.
10.The Singapore Helix Bridge, Singapore
Locale: Marina Bay | Crosses: Singapre River
Carries: Padestrians | Length: 280m
Material: Steel, fritted-glass and steel mesh canopies
The Helix Bridge , also known as the Double Helix Bridge , is a pedestrian bridge which connects the Marina Centre with Marina South in the Marina Bay area in Singapore. It was opened in April 24, 2010. The special spirals of the bridge take the shape of DNA: the element at the root of life. This bridge hence symbolize life, renewal and growth.
11. Jiaozhou Bay Bridge, Qingdao-Huangdao, China
Locale: between Qingdao and Huangdao District, China
Crosses: Jiaozhou Bay | Carries: Motor Vehicles | Length: 41.58 km
Designer: Shandong Gaosu Group | Material: Stressed concrete
The world’s longest bridge across water is in China. Opened in June 2011, the 26.4 mile long Jiaozhou Bay Bridge (also called the Qingdao Haiwan Bridge) in northeastern Shandong Province, spans Jiaozhou Bay and links the port city of Qingdao to Huangdao Island.
Official reports say the six-lane, T-shaped road bridge cost about $2.3 billion to build and will cut the travel time in half. Nearly 450,000 tons of steel was used in its construction along with 2.3 million cubic meters of concrete. Chinese officials said the bridge was designed to be strong enough to withstand a magnitude 8 earthquake, typhoons, or the impact of a 300,000-ton vessel. China is already home to seven of the world’s 10 longest bridges, including the lengthiest – the 102 mile Danyang-Kunshan rail bridge near Shanghai, which runs over land and water.
12. Oliveira Bridge, Brazil: 1st X-Shaped wire bridge in the world
Locale: São Paulo, Brazil | Crosses: Pinherios River
Design: Cable-Stayed bridge
Length: 1600m (5200ft) | Height: 138m (453ft)
Octavio Frias de Oliveira Bridge that crossed the Pinheiros River in São Paulo, Brazil opened in May 2008. As high as 138 meters (450 feet), and connect with Jornalista Marginal Pinheiros with Roberto Marinho Avenue. The design is so unique with 2 curved deck pass one another through an X-shaped support towers.
13. The Wind and Rain Bridge, Chengyang, China
Locale: Sanjiang Country, Liuzhou, Guangxi | Crosses: Sanjiang River
Design: Covered Bridge | Length: 64.4m | Height: 10m
This unique and beautiful bridge is in Guangxi province of China, built by people from different ethnic groups including Miao, Zhuang, Dong and Yao. The Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge is also known as Yongji Bridge or Panlong Bridge. It’s built on the Linxi River. The bridge was built in 1916.
This bridge is a pure wooden architecture consisting of pillars. purlin and baluster in various sizes and shapes. The body of the bridge is divided into 3 parts: the largest shape of a traditional Chiness drum tower in the middle. EAve and pilasters of the bridge decorated with flowers and sculptures.
14. Khaju Brigde, Isfahan, Iran
Khaju Bridge is an amazing bridge in Isfahan, Iran built by Shah Abbas II around 1650, on the foundations of an older bridge. It connects the Khaju quarter on the north bank with the Zoroastrian quarter across the Zayandeh River. The bridge is made of stone and bricks. It is 7.5 meters wide.
15. Tower Bridge, London, England
Locale: London Boroughs: -north side (Tower hamlet)-south side(southwark)
Crosses: Thames | Carries: Motor Vehicles, Cyclists, Pedistrians
Design: Bascule Bridge, Suspension Bridge | Length: 244m (801ft)
Tower bridge is majestically standing over River Thames, in London, England. The bridge is close to the tower of London and consists of two towers as a part of it’s structure, hence got it’s name the Tower Bridge. The construction of the bridge started in 1886 and was completed in 1894.
16. Banpo Bridge, South Korea: The Fountain Bridge
September 9, 2008, Banpo Bridge in Seoul (South Korea) had a massive facelift: a 10,000 tubes fountain that ran on both edges. Once installed, the bridge was turned into a big tourist attraction, as the bridge is firing 190 tons of water per minute using the river water below.
17. Hangzhou Bay Bridge, China
Locale: jiaxing/Cixi City | Crosses: hou Bay
Length: 35.673km
Across the Hangzhou Bay extends the longest trans-oceanic bridge in the world, with 35,673 kilometres (22 mi) long with six expressway lanes in two directions. The bridge was built to address traffic congestion in the booming region, cutting the driving time between Shanghai and Ningbo from four to two-and-a-half hours.
The bridge underwent various feasibility studies for a decade before it was approved in 2003, and finally opened to the public on May 1, 2008. Total investment on the bridge was RMB 11.8 billion (around US$ 1.4 billion).
18. Rolling Bridge, UK: The Bridge that Curls Up on Itself
Designed by Heatherwick Studio, the award-winning Rolling Bridge is located Paddington Basin, London. Rather than a conventional opening bridge mechanism, consisting of a single rigid element that lifts to let boats pass, the Rolling Bridge gets out of the way by curling up until its two ends touch. While in its horizontal position, the bridge is a normal, inconspicuous steel and timber footbridge; fully open, it forms a circle on one bank of the water that bears little resemblance to its former self.
12m long, the bridge is made in eight steel and timber sections, and is made to curl by hydraulic rams set into the handrail between each section.
19. Jadukata Bridge, India
The Jadukata Bridge, the longest span cntilever bridge in india with a central span of 140m, stretches so naturally from one shore to the other that it seems to grow out of the rich vegetation itself.
20. Langkawi Sky-Bridge, Malaysia
2,000 feet above sea level; 410 feet long; curved; less than six feet wide. One of the world’s highest single-support bridges.
Where: The top of the 500-million-year-old Mount Mat Cincang, Langkawi, Malaysia.
Awe Factors: This curved half-moon-shaped pedestrian bridge, set among the clouds, grants nonacrophobic adventurers 360 degree views of the Langkawi islands and the Andaman Sea. Built for tourists and opened in 2005, the bridge is accessed by a 15-minute ride in an electronic cable car, which leaves from the Oriental Village mall complex.
Locale: Florence, Italy | Crosses: Arno River
Design: Closed-Spandrel segmental stone arch bridge
Width: 32m (105ft) | Longest span: 30m (98ft)
Ponte Vecchio (which means "Old Bridge") in Florence is one of the famous tourist attractions in Italy, and is considered the oldest stone arch bridge in Europe. Even the bridge itself is older. Actually built from wood until it was destroyed by floods in 1333, and twelve years later the bridge was rebuilt using stone.
Famous for its many shops, the bridge is also a home for everyone from traders and butchers to the gift shop and art sales from the Middle Ages.
02. Ponte Sant'Angelo, Rome, Italy
Locale: Rome, Italy | Crosses: Tiber
Design: Arch bridge | Material: Stone
Carries: Pedestrian | Longest span: 18m
Ponte Sant’Angelo spanning the Tiber in Rome, one of the eight stone bridges the Romans are known to have built over the Tiber between 200 B.C. and A.D. 260, is the most celebrated of the six “massive beauties” still in use, said Judith Dupré, author of Bridges.
“The Romans perfected the masonry arch,” she said, allowing them to span much greater distances than previously. “Much of Roman engineering genius is underwater, hidden from view, but their inventions—including the cofferdam, cutwater piers that divide water current, and pozzolano, a type of waterproof concrete—are still used today,” Dupré said.
Ponte Sant’ Angelo, originally named for Hadrian, the emperor who reigned during its construction, leads to his mausoleum, Castel Sant’ Angelo, a popular tourist attraction in Rome.
03. Lonardo's "Golden Horn" Bridge, Norway
Locale: Oslo, Norway | Architect: Vebjørn Sand
Designed in 1502 by Leonardo da Vinci to span the “Golden Horn,” the famous waterway in Istanbul that separates Europe and Asia, the stone bridge was never built because the Turkish sultan feared that it was not technically feasible. A scaled down, laminated wood and stainless steel version based on the famous artist’s original plan is now a footbridge near Oslo, Norway.
“For 500 years the beauty and symbolism of this graceful bridge remained an obscure drawing in one of Leonardo’s notebooks, until it was brought into being in Norway in 2001 by the contemporary artist Vebjorn Sand,” according to the website of The Leonardo Bridge Project, a global public arts project.
Built in collaboration with the Norwegian transportation ministry, the bridge was the first civil engineering idea by Leonardo to be realized.
04. Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge, Cornish,USA
Locale: Cornish, New Hampshire to Windsor, Vermon | Cost: $9000
Design: Town lattice truss bridge | Material: Wood
Length: 137m (449ft 5in) | Longest span: 62.2m (204ft)
The Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge, built in 1866, crosses the Connecticut River between New Hampshire and Vermont. Cited as the longest two –lane covered bridge in America, it is on the National Register of Historic Places. The bridges were covered to protect the structures from snow, ice, and rain and ensure their longevity. But due to wood’s vulnerably to fire, floods, and other natural disasters, and with the advent of cars and highways, few remain today. By the mid 50's, there were less than two thousand left, according to Dupré.
05. Brooklyn Bridge, New York, USA
Locale: New York City (Manhattan-Brooklyn)| Crosses: East River
Designer: John Augustus Roebling | Toll: Free both ways
Length: 1825 m (5989 ft) | Longest span: 486.3m (1595ft 6in)
Carries: Motor vehicles, Elivated trains, Street cars, Pedestrian, Bicycle
Few bridges are as iconic as New York’s beloved Brooklyn Bridge, which spans the East River and connects Manhattan and Brooklyn. Among the world’s first wire cable suspension bridges, it established a number of engineering precedents, according to the National Park Service, which designated the bridge a National Historic Landmark.
The bridge was conceived in 1855 by John Roebling (who died before ground was broken), and work was carried out first by Roebling’s son, and later by his daughter-in-law. The Brooklyn Bridge is a quintessential American landmark. Since opening day in 1883, it “has tugged on the human heart for as many reasons as there are hearts.”
06.Magdeburg Water Bridge, Magdeburg, Germany
Locale: Magdeburg, near Berlin| Crosses: River Elbe
Water Depth: 4.25m | Longest span: 106m
Length: 918 m (690 m over land and 228 m over water)
On September 9, 2008, the Banpo Bridge in Seoul (South Korea) got a major facelift: a 10,000-nozzle fountain that runs all the way on both sides. Immediately after being installed, the bridge turned into a major tourist attraction, as the bridge pumps out 190 tons of water per minute using the water from the river below.
6 years, 500 million euros, 918 meters long.......now this is engineering! This is a channel-bridge over the River Elbe and joins the former East and West Germany, as part of the unification project. It is located in the city of Magdeburg, near Berlin. Taking six years to build and costing around half a billion euros, the massive undertaking will connect Berlin's inland harbor with the ports along the Rhine river. At the center of the project is Europe's longest water bridge measuring in just shy of a kilometer at 918 meters. The huge tub to transport ships over the Elbe took 24,000 metric tons of steel and 68,000 cubic meters of concrete to build. The water bridge will enable river barges to avoid a lengthy and sometimes unreliable passage along the Elbe. Shipping can often come to a halt on the stretch if the river's water mark falls to unacceptably low levels.
07. Sundial Bridge, Redding, California, USA
Locale: Redding, California| Crosses: Sacramento River
Designer: Santiago Calatrava | Length: 213m (700ft)
The Sundial Bridge in Redding, California is a pedestrian bridge, 213 m long and 7 m wide; it is stretched precisely from south to north, making the bridge a functioning sundial.
Last but not least, moving yet further east around the globe, we reach a humble walking bridge in Redding, California. The stylish Sundial Bridge across the Sacramento River is a glass-bottom bridge that connects a network of walking and biking trails. The requirement before planning the bridge was that it could not cast too much shadow over the river as Turtle Bay happens to be one of the best salmon spawning places in California. Therefore, the design is light and airy. Opened in July 2004, the bridge’s construction cost €17.4 million.
08. Millau Viaduct, Millau, France
Locale: Millau-Creissels, France | Crosses: Valley of the River Tarn
Design: Cable-stayed bridge | Longest span: 42 m (1,122 ft)
Number of Spans: 204m (669ft), 6 × 342 m (1122ft), 204m (669ft)
2,460 m long, 32 m wide & 343 m high.
Towering 1,125-ft above the Tarn Valley in southern France, driving along the Millau Viaduct is said to feel like flying. This Foster + Partners marvel is slightly taller than the Eiffel Tower, took three years to build and opened to the public in 2004.
While it may provide picturesque views of the valley below, once the mist descends it is not a route for the faint hearted! The deck is lofted on 7 pylons and weighs 36,000 tonnes. A series of 7 masts, each 292-ft tall and weighing 700 tonnes, are attached to the corresponding pylons.
09. The Henderson Waves Bridge, Singapore: Most Beautiful Pedestrian Bridge
This beautiful and amazing wave shaped pedestrian bridge is the highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore connecting Mount Faber Park and Telok Blangah Hill Park in Singapore. Henderson Waves is a 274-metre (899 ft) long pedestrian bridge. It is 36 meters (118 ft) above Henderson Road.
10.The Singapore Helix Bridge, Singapore
Locale: Marina Bay | Crosses: Singapre River
Carries: Padestrians | Length: 280m
Material: Steel, fritted-glass and steel mesh canopies
The Helix Bridge , also known as the Double Helix Bridge , is a pedestrian bridge which connects the Marina Centre with Marina South in the Marina Bay area in Singapore. It was opened in April 24, 2010. The special spirals of the bridge take the shape of DNA: the element at the root of life. This bridge hence symbolize life, renewal and growth.
11. Jiaozhou Bay Bridge, Qingdao-Huangdao, China
Locale: between Qingdao and Huangdao District, China
Crosses: Jiaozhou Bay | Carries: Motor Vehicles | Length: 41.58 km
Designer: Shandong Gaosu Group | Material: Stressed concrete
The world’s longest bridge across water is in China. Opened in June 2011, the 26.4 mile long Jiaozhou Bay Bridge (also called the Qingdao Haiwan Bridge) in northeastern Shandong Province, spans Jiaozhou Bay and links the port city of Qingdao to Huangdao Island.
Official reports say the six-lane, T-shaped road bridge cost about $2.3 billion to build and will cut the travel time in half. Nearly 450,000 tons of steel was used in its construction along with 2.3 million cubic meters of concrete. Chinese officials said the bridge was designed to be strong enough to withstand a magnitude 8 earthquake, typhoons, or the impact of a 300,000-ton vessel. China is already home to seven of the world’s 10 longest bridges, including the lengthiest – the 102 mile Danyang-Kunshan rail bridge near Shanghai, which runs over land and water.
12. Oliveira Bridge, Brazil: 1st X-Shaped wire bridge in the world
Locale: São Paulo, Brazil | Crosses: Pinherios River
Design: Cable-Stayed bridge
Length: 1600m (5200ft) | Height: 138m (453ft)
Octavio Frias de Oliveira Bridge that crossed the Pinheiros River in São Paulo, Brazil opened in May 2008. As high as 138 meters (450 feet), and connect with Jornalista Marginal Pinheiros with Roberto Marinho Avenue. The design is so unique with 2 curved deck pass one another through an X-shaped support towers.
13. The Wind and Rain Bridge, Chengyang, China
Locale: Sanjiang Country, Liuzhou, Guangxi | Crosses: Sanjiang River
Design: Covered Bridge | Length: 64.4m | Height: 10m
This unique and beautiful bridge is in Guangxi province of China, built by people from different ethnic groups including Miao, Zhuang, Dong and Yao. The Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge is also known as Yongji Bridge or Panlong Bridge. It’s built on the Linxi River. The bridge was built in 1916.
This bridge is a pure wooden architecture consisting of pillars. purlin and baluster in various sizes and shapes. The body of the bridge is divided into 3 parts: the largest shape of a traditional Chiness drum tower in the middle. EAve and pilasters of the bridge decorated with flowers and sculptures.
14. Khaju Brigde, Isfahan, Iran
Khaju Bridge is an amazing bridge in Isfahan, Iran built by Shah Abbas II around 1650, on the foundations of an older bridge. It connects the Khaju quarter on the north bank with the Zoroastrian quarter across the Zayandeh River. The bridge is made of stone and bricks. It is 7.5 meters wide.
15. Tower Bridge, London, England
Locale: London Boroughs: -north side (Tower hamlet)-south side(southwark)
Crosses: Thames | Carries: Motor Vehicles, Cyclists, Pedistrians
Design: Bascule Bridge, Suspension Bridge | Length: 244m (801ft)
Tower bridge is majestically standing over River Thames, in London, England. The bridge is close to the tower of London and consists of two towers as a part of it’s structure, hence got it’s name the Tower Bridge. The construction of the bridge started in 1886 and was completed in 1894.
16. Banpo Bridge, South Korea: The Fountain Bridge
September 9, 2008, Banpo Bridge in Seoul (South Korea) had a massive facelift: a 10,000 tubes fountain that ran on both edges. Once installed, the bridge was turned into a big tourist attraction, as the bridge is firing 190 tons of water per minute using the river water below.
17. Hangzhou Bay Bridge, China
Locale: jiaxing/Cixi City | Crosses: hou Bay
Length: 35.673km
Across the Hangzhou Bay extends the longest trans-oceanic bridge in the world, with 35,673 kilometres (22 mi) long with six expressway lanes in two directions. The bridge was built to address traffic congestion in the booming region, cutting the driving time between Shanghai and Ningbo from four to two-and-a-half hours.
The bridge underwent various feasibility studies for a decade before it was approved in 2003, and finally opened to the public on May 1, 2008. Total investment on the bridge was RMB 11.8 billion (around US$ 1.4 billion).
18. Rolling Bridge, UK: The Bridge that Curls Up on Itself
Designed by Heatherwick Studio, the award-winning Rolling Bridge is located Paddington Basin, London. Rather than a conventional opening bridge mechanism, consisting of a single rigid element that lifts to let boats pass, the Rolling Bridge gets out of the way by curling up until its two ends touch. While in its horizontal position, the bridge is a normal, inconspicuous steel and timber footbridge; fully open, it forms a circle on one bank of the water that bears little resemblance to its former self.
12m long, the bridge is made in eight steel and timber sections, and is made to curl by hydraulic rams set into the handrail between each section.
19. Jadukata Bridge, India
The Jadukata Bridge, the longest span cntilever bridge in india with a central span of 140m, stretches so naturally from one shore to the other that it seems to grow out of the rich vegetation itself.
20. Langkawi Sky-Bridge, Malaysia
2,000 feet above sea level; 410 feet long; curved; less than six feet wide. One of the world’s highest single-support bridges.
Where: The top of the 500-million-year-old Mount Mat Cincang, Langkawi, Malaysia.
Awe Factors: This curved half-moon-shaped pedestrian bridge, set among the clouds, grants nonacrophobic adventurers 360 degree views of the Langkawi islands and the Andaman Sea. Built for tourists and opened in 2005, the bridge is accessed by a 15-minute ride in an electronic cable car, which leaves from the Oriental Village mall complex.
Special Thanks to violinduett, Forbes.