SYDNEY - Some bridges are a marvel of
engineering, yet beyond their practical function they have also
inspired musicians, painters and writers.
"Bridges make possible something that is
seemingly impossible," said Richard Cleary, author of "Bridges,"
a study of American structures.
Travel Web site Travel + Leisure has compiled
a list of the world’s 10 most amazing bridges (http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/amazing-bridges-of-the-world).
This list is not endorsed by Reuters.
1. Langkawi Sky-Bridge, Langkawi, Malaysia:
One of the world’s highest single-support bridges at the top of
Mount Mat Cincang that stands 2,000 feet above sea level, 410
feet long, and less than 6 feet wide. This curved
half-moon-shaped pedestrian bridge, built in 2005, grants
adventurers 360 degree views of the Langkawi islands and the
Andaman Sea.
2. Hangzhou Bay Bridge, across the Qiantang
River at the Yangtze River Delta. The longest ocean-crossing
bridge in the world at 22 miles long, the rough waters of
Hangzhou Bay had to be studied for nearly a decade before plans
were drawn. Construction took nearly five years and it opened to
the public in May 2008.
3. Leonardo’s Bridge, Akershus, Norway:
Designed by Leonardo da Vinci in 1502 and constructed by
Vebjoern Sand in 2001, this pedestrian and bike arch bridge is
considered by scholars to be the first civil engineering project
in history based on a da Vinci design, but if it weren’t for
Norwegian artist Sand’s keen eye, the small drawing in the
corner of one of da Vinci’s notebooks might have remained just
an idea. The smaller-scale timber structure (da Vinci had wanted
stone) near Oslo is, Sand hopes, the first of many Leonardo
bridges around the world.
4. The Bosphorus Bridge, Istanbul, Turkey:
Completed in 1973, this suspension bridge, the only bridge in
the world linking two continents - Europe and Asia - has been in
the works since 490 B.C., when the bridge was made of a fleet of
boats. It was finally commissioned in 1967 and completed six
years later.
5. Gateshead Millennium Bridge, on the South
Bank of England’s River Tyne, between Gateshead and Newcastle:
The world’s first bridge to use a tilting mechanism to open,
forming a gateway for ships to pass. It’s become such a
sensation, though, that the bridge - whose motion is likened to
the opening and closing of a gigantic eye - puts on a show at
least once a day at noon.
6. Royal Gorge Bridge, Royal Gorge, Colorado,
over the Arkansas River: Built in 1929 in six months by mainly
inexperienced men, the world’s highest suspension bridge was an
impressive feat of construction for its time. Wires were
connected at the bottom of the gorge and pulled up the granite
canyon despite gusty winds. In 1982, the bridge underwent a
refurbishment, and wind cables were added.
7. Millau Viaduct, crossing the Tarn Valley
in the Massif Central, near Millau in southern France. The
tallest vehicular bridge in the world with its highest point at
1,125 feet. Opened in 2004, the bridge was designed, according
to its architect Norman Foster, to have the "delicacy of a
butterfly." Seven triangular piers support this 79,366 pound (36
ton) steel bridge that rises above the clouds.
8. Ponte dei Sospiri (The Bridge of Sighs),
Rio di Palazzo, Venice, Italy: Built in the early 1600s in the
Baroque style, the bridge connects the Doge’s Palace to what was
once a prison. The name "Bridge of Sighs" came from a Lord Byron
poem. Today the bridge is the setting of another legend inspired
by the poet — if a couple kiss underneath the bridge at sunset,
they will be granted eternal love. 9. Khaju Bridge, on the
Zayandeh River at Isfahan, Iran
Besides its stunning stone foundation,
brightly colored tile work and original 17th Century paintings,
this bridge is noteworthy because it serves three functions — as
a passageway, a weir, and a recreation place. The bi-level
structure, originally built as a dam in 1650, houses a covered
indoor area upstairs where people gather to socialize in the
shade.
10. Alamilla Bridge, Seville, Spain, over the Guadalquivir
River Built in 1992 by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, it
is said to resemble a harp and the bridge is the first design of
its kind. Its central mast leans at a 58 degree angle, making it
appear as if its balancing. Calatrava’s other works include the
Milwaukee Art Museum and the Tenerife Opera House. –
Reuters
