As travel connects the world, so do bridges, to that is what this article will focus on. Read on to find out about the world’s most famous bridges and their connections.

Golden Gate Bridge

In San Francisco, The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge that spans the strait between San Francisco and the Pacific Ocean. Completed in 1937, and one mile long, it is painted a bright red/orange and named one of the Modern World’s Seven Wonders. Taking four years to build, it contains around 600,000 rivets in every one of its towers. It is a photographer’s dream as the most photographed bridge in the world.

Tower Bridge

Designed by George D. Stevenson, Tower Bridge is one of 35 bridges that cross the River Thames in London. Built between c1886 and c1894, Tower Bridge is the only Thames bridge that can be raised. It is a combined drawbridge (bascule) and suspension bridge. Its middle section needs to be raised to allow tall river traffic to pass underneath and creates a viewing spectacle every time this happens. The bridge, of Neo-Gothic architecture, is named after the Tower of London which can be found located to one side of the bridge. The cost of opening Tower Bridge has always remained free. Since 1^st January 1971, it has been a requirement, though, that ships need to give 24 hours notice in writing if they need to pass through it.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Sydney Harbour Bridge is the world’s largest steel arch bridge. Opened on 19^th March 1932, and spanning a length of 1.149 km (0.71 m) it was nicknamed the Coathanger by Sydneysiders. You can walk or cycle the bridge to take in the magnificent views. The bridge also carries vehicles and rail traffic between the Sydney central business district and Sydney’s North Shore. Sydney Harbour Bridge is considered one of Australia’s famous landmarks and is one of the most photographed in the world. The bridge cost around 6.25 million Australian pounds to build, which was not paid off until 1988. The original toll for a car to pass over the bridge was 6 pence (5 cents). For a horse and its rider, this was 3 pence (2 cents).

Verrazano-Narrows Bridge

Situated in New York City, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is a double-decker bridge that spans over 2.5 m and is 228 ft above the water. Opened in 1964, the bridge connects Brooklyn with Staten Island. It is considered by many drivers to be one of the scarier bridges to cross due to its size.

Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge

Located on the railway line between Shanghai and Nanjing in Jiangsu province, The Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge is a 169 km (105 m) long viaduct that is on the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway. It is the world’s longest bridge.

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway

The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is considered the longest bridge in the US and longest in the world that passes continuously over water. It is made up of two parallel bridges which cross Lake Pontchartrain in southern Louisiana. The longest of its two bridges is 38.35 km (23.83 m) long.

Ironbridge

Erected in Coalbrookdale, Shropshire in 1779, this world-famous bridge gave the town of Ironbridge its name and remains in situ to symbolize the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. Designed by architect Thomas Pritchard and cast and built by Abraham Darby III, it was the first iron bridge in the world.

So, seven bridges to add to your travel list. Although, not ones you could pass over on the same trip. They are well worth passing over at some point during our lives. If not to capture a picture of the bridge itself, to capture the views that surround it. Whether we are working in km or m, there are some long bridges to negotiate the world over. They all have to be maintained by someone, and without them, we would not be able to cross so easily from one side to the other.