The largest viaduct in the world. The largest bridges in the world

Hangzhou, China

This one is recognized as the longest road bridge in the world, because its length is thirty-six kilometers. This transoceanic structure reduced the distance between Ningbo and Shanghai by three hundred and twenty kilometers. Such large-scale construction has made a huge contribution to China's transport infrastructure.

2nd place

Millau, France

The title of the highest bridge is occupied by Millau, or as it is sometimes called Millot. Having grown to 343 meters, the handsome man has the right to boast of his highest supports. The miracle, 2.4 km long, came out of the skillful hands of the English architect Norman Foster and the French engineer Michel Virlojo. The traffic is two-way, each direction has 2 lanes.

3rd place

Golden Gate, USA

This is simply a three-kilometer legend (length 2,737 m), because for many years it held the palm among suspension bridges. It is also considered the most recognizable bridge, often appearing in various pictures, screensavers, frames of films and TV series. Maybe that’s why suicides are drawn to him like a magnet. Rarely does a month go by without some crazy person trying to commit suicide here.

Tower Bridge, UK

The famous design is a recognized symbol of Great Britain. An exceptional feature of the bridge is that a multi-ton colossus can be lifted in just 1 minute. The ingenious creators prudently created special pedestrian galleries that make it possible not to stop the flow of people while ships pass. The bridge has existed since one thousand eight hundred and ninety-four.

5th place

Vasco da Gama, Portugal

In 1998, it was exactly five hundred years since Vasco da Gama discovered the Europe-India sea route. It was in honor of this Portuguese navigator that this beautiful seventeen-kilometer bridge was named, including the main road, viaducts, and access roads. The design can withstand powerful gusts of wind and strong earthquakes.

6th place

Bosphorus Bridge, Türkiye

This is who has the honor of connecting two continents: Asia and Europe. In addition, it unites the Asian and European parts of the Turkish state. More than half a million passengers cross this bridge every day. The authorities had to block pedestrian traffic due to constant suicide attempts.

Pearl Bridge, Japan

A real miracle is the construction of a bridge in one of the most seismically unstable areas in the world. Many people know him under the name Akashi Kaike. The builders used so many steel cables when constructing the structure that if they were folded into one, they could girdle the Earth several times. For nine years, engineers and architects struggled with difficult natural conditions, but in the end they defeated them, creating this amazing structure.

8th place

Banpo Bridge, Korea

Translated from Korean, Banpo (Panpo) means “rainbow”. Along one side of the bridge there is a fountain, the jets of which shoot to the side and down. It shimmers with all the colors of the rainbow, revealing an incredibly beautiful sight. The duration of this miracle is approximately one thousand one hundred meters.

Brooklyn Bridge, USA

This masterpiece of engineering is one of New York's most popular attractions. For the first time, steel rods were used for construction. The bridge is located between Brooklyn and Manhattan. Traffic here is allowed for pedestrians, bicycles and cars. National Historic Landmarks designated the Brooklyn Bridge in the 1970s.

10th place

Forth Bridge, Scotland

The construction of this steel railway giant continued for eight years. This impressive structure connects the Fife region and Edinburgh across the Firth of Forth.

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- a pedestrian crossing of the Yenisei channel in Krasnoyarsk, a favorite place for walks for 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, the previously uninhabited Tatyshev Island 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 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 the joining of 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 for river vessels. The main “highlight” of the Zhivopisny Bridge is a unique observation deck and 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- Sydney's largest bridge 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 Shore) with the central part (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 repartees).In 1988, the spans were replaced with new ones according to the project 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 work was delayed by only 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 floats over a pond, suspended by three huge white balloons in England's 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. it is taller than the Eiffel Tower and only 40 meters lower than 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 bridges of Norway’s unique “Atlantic Road”, 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 call this bridge “Drunk” because its shape constantly changes depending on the angle of view.

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 is the settlement of Hohenwarte.

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, 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, a row of buildings is interrupted by an open area from which you can admire the river and other bridges in the city.

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

366 meter bridge Royal Gorge, designed by George Cole and Frank Stahl in the Grand Canyon of the 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 the resort island of 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. The cable car, in two stages with an intermediate stop, takes 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 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 footbridge is the tallest 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 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 of the 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 vehemently opposed 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 Virlogeau and Francois Gillard in such a way that not only cruise ships, but also sailing ships participating in the Rouen Armada ship parade could pass under it. 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 launched 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.

There are many bridges in the world. Some amaze with their beauty, some with their size. There are very long bridges (by the way, we talked about the longest), and there are foot bridges. And TravelAsk has prepared for you interesting information about the highest road bridge.

Where can you see the record holder?

To see this giant, you need to go to France. The height of the Millau Viaduct is 343 meters, which is 37 meters higher than the Eiffel Tower.

Therefore, be sure to compare these two French attractions) You may be lucky enough to drive along the A75 highway from Beziers to. This is where the giant is located.

The length of the bridge is 2460 meters, its width is 32 meters. The construction of the viaduct cost 400 million euros.

In addition to the fact that Millau is the highest road bridge in the world, it has two more world records:

1. The bridge has the highest supports in the world (245 meters).
2. The viaduct has the highest road surface in the world (270 meters above the ground).

True, the latest record is broken by the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado, USA, its road surface is located at an altitude of 321 meters from the ground.

However, this is a pedestrian bridge, so it is not taken into account.

Bridge structure

Millau has eight spans, they are supported on seven concrete supports. The roadway itself has a mass of 36,000 tons. The viaduct has the shape of a semicircle, the radius of which is 20 kilometers.

Construction began with huge concrete supports, and intermediate temporary foundations were also erected at the same time: this greatly simplified the construction of the highway itself. The canvas was immediately pulled from both ends, connecting the sections one by one, moving them closer to the bridge supports and connecting them with millimeter precision.

Millau was opened in 2004. According to engineers, the service life of the viaduct is at least 120 years. Naturally, its condition and all fastenings are checked annually.

Travel conditions

There is a toll on the bridge: from 4 to 7 euros. The price depends on the time of year: in summer it is higher. Every day up to 25 thousand cars pass here.

By the way, tourists who come from the south of France and from Spain mostly travel along the old road. This is National Route 9, which runs near Millau. Previously, there was traffic along it, but there were constant traffic jams.

Tourists prefer this road because it is more direct and free.

And even bigger bridges

Well, we can’t help but tell you that in fact the Millau Viaduct is a record holder in terms of the design itself: the “legs” of the bridge are located in the gorge.

But there are higher structures, but their supports are located on connected plateaus or hills, or shallowly on the slopes. In this case, the absolute record holder is the Chinese. The suspension bridge across the Sydukhe River valley, opened in 2009, is located 496 meters from the ground. Look how scary and at the same time fascinating it is:

And here is another giant in Mexico:

The Baluarte Bridge is located above the gorge, its height above the ground is 403 meters.

Well, in the near future the highest bridge called Duge Bridge will begin to operate. Its height is 564 meters. This giant is being built in China over the Beipanjiang River.

Of course, it’s not the Duge Bridge in the photo), it’s a pedestrian bridge that perfectly demonstrates the full scale of the gorge. And here, in fact, is the future record holder:

We welcome you again to the pages of our website “Me and the World”! Bridges stretch over water, over land, over abyss. Today we will tell you which is the longest bridge in the world.

When going on a trip around the world, take a look at the top 10 longest structures, take a closer look at the photos, find out where they are and what they are called. And then walk through them in reality.

In 1st place is the Danyang-Kunshan Viaduct - 164,800 m

The Danyang-Kunshan Viaduct connects two cities in Eastern China. This is a railway bridge over which several trains can pass at once. Almost 9 km passes over the surface of the water, the rest of the distance the train travels on land. Construction lasted quite a short time, only four years, and 10,000 people worked here. China spent $8.5 billion on the project and it is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest in the world.

2nd place goes to Great Tianjin - 113,700 m

This structure continues the high-speed railway line between the cities of Beijing and Shanghai, and was also built in China.

In 3rd place - Bridge over Wei - 79,700 m

Again the Chinese railway bridge. It connects the banks of the Wei River and crosses it twice. Trains began traveling along it in 2010, although it was built in 2008.

4th place – Bang Na Highway – 54,000 m

This is a six-lane highway, but many consider this road to be a bridge because it passes over the ground. The automobile giant is located in Thailand and took 5 years to build. Serious traffic jams convinced the authorities to build this highway and invest more than a billion dollars in it. And although the highway is toll, many motorists and tourists try to drive along it, avoiding traffic jams and admiring the surrounding views.

Middle of the ranking – Qingdao – 42,500 m

The largest automotive project across the water. The entire 42.5 km of the Qingdao Bridge goes over the bay. It took 4 years to build, and during this time it cost 10 billion dollars. Every day, up to 30,000 cars pass on the road, and only half an hour of time is saved. Some are surprised: why was it necessary to spend so much money from the budget to save 30 minutes?

6th place – Pontchartrain Dam Bridge – 38,420 m

Also goes through the water of Lake Pontchartrain USA. Located in the state of Louisiana and is paid. Now you can drive between the two shores of the lake in just 50 minutes. Very resistant to various elements, but apparently built so low above the water that barges periodically crash into it.

7th place goes to the Hangzhou Bay Bridge - 35,673 m

One of the most beautiful in the world is located in China. Overwater, passing along the Pacific Gulf. The structure is built in the shape of the letter S. Driving through the structure, motorists reduce the distance by 120 km. On the six-lane road you can drive at a speed of 100 km/h. The shelf life is set at 100 years and then the structure will be reconstructed.

In 8th place is the Shanghai Maglev - 30,500 m

This is the most expensive Chinese railway project. It is made on a magnetic suspension. The project cost about 1.6 billion dollars. The road was laid mainly through marshy areas, and every 25 km it was necessary to make concrete pads for supports, and they are expensive. The highest speed of a train on such a bridge is about 430 km/h, but only a minute and a half - after all, there is almost nowhere to accelerate.

9th place goes to the Bridge-Tunnel, which runs across the Chesapeake Bay - 28,140 m

A very interesting structure that becomes an underwater tunnel. Great idea to ride underwater. The building took 35 years to build. The cost to cross the bridge is $12.00 per toll. The cars ride on the surface for some time, and then “go” down into a tunnel under water so that ships can freely sail through the structure.

And the list ends with the King Fahd Bridge - 26,000 m

It consists of several dams and small bridges that connect Saudi Arabia and the state of Bahrain, located on the islands. The name is given in honor of the King of Arabia, who laid the foundation for construction. One of the parts is quite remarkable, because it rises high above the water, like a hill. I would like to tell you about other unique bridges that are not included in the top ten

The longest arched one was built in Shanghai, more than 3.5 km long and about 45 m high

The longest glass curtain wall is again in China with a length of 488 m and a width of 2 m

The structure connects two rocks, and its weight reached 70 tons. When tourists approach the center, it sways slightly. How great this is, but also scary! 500 people can step on it at the same time.

The longest pedestrian cableway runs over the Akhshtyrsky Gorge in Sochi. Length – 439 m and it stretches at an altitude of 207 m

The length of the longest in Europe is 17 km - Vasco da Gama

The structure is quite beautiful and passes over very clear waters. It was built in just a year and a half and was ready for the 500th anniversary of the opening of the route from Europe to India.

In Russia, a long cable-stayed one was built in Vladivostok 3100 m

It is about 29 m wide and weighs 23,000 tons. High pylons rise up to 324 m. Another large cable-stayed one is located in St. Petersburg across the Neva River. It is permanent and has a length of 2884 m.

An unusual “dancing bridge” is laid across the Volga and stretches for 2.5 km

At the end of 2011, it was strengthened with the participation of specialists from Germany.

And here is the current project - the Crimean Bridge

It will be one of the largest in Russia. For 19 km, a road and railway will run side by side from the Taman Peninsula to the coast of Crimea through the sea strait. Opening of the Crimean Bridge: .

We shared information about the longest and most unusual bridges in the world, crossing the sea, land, suspension and railway. Share the information with your friends on social networks and see you on the pages of our website!

One of the main wonders of the industrial world of France is the world-famous Millau Bridge, which holds several records. Thanks to this gigantic bridge, stretching over a huge river valley called Tar, uninterrupted and high-speed travel from Paris to the small town of Beziers is ensured.

Many tourists who come to see this highest bridge in the world often ask the question: “Why was it necessary to build such an expensive and technically complex bridge that leads from Paris to the very small city of Beziers? The thing is that it is in Beziers that there is a huge number of educational institutions, elite private schools and a retraining center for highly qualified specialists.

A huge number of Parisians, as well as residents from other large cities in France, who are attracted by the elitism of education in Beziers, come to study at these schools and colleges. In addition, the town of Beziers is located just 12 kilometers from the picturesque coast of the warm Mediterranean Sea, which, of course, in turn, also attracts tens of thousands of tourists from all over the globe every year.

The Millau Bridge, which can rightfully be considered the pinnacle of the mastery of engineers and architects, is popular among travelers as one of the most interesting attractions in France. Firstly, it offers a magnificent view of the Tar River valley, and secondly, it is one of the favorite objects for modern photographers. Photos of the Millau Bridge, which is almost two and a half kilometers long and 32 meters wide, made by the best and most respected photographers, decorate numerous office buildings and hotels not only in France, but throughout the Old World.

The bridge is a particularly fantastic sight when clouds gather underneath it: at this moment it seems as if the viaduct is hanging in the air and does not have a single support under it. The height of the bridge above the ground at its highest point is just over 270 meters. The Millau Viaduct was built with the sole purpose of relieving congestion on the national route number 9, which constantly experienced huge traffic jams during the season, and tourists traveling around France, as well as truck drivers, were forced to stand in traffic jams for hours.

As mentioned above, the bridge, which is part of the A75 highway, connects Paris and the city of Beziers, but it is quite often used by motorists traveling to the capital of the country from Spain and southern France. It is worth noting that travel through the viaduct, which “floats above the clouds,” is paid, which does not in any way affect its popularity among vehicle drivers and guests of the country who come to see one of the most amazing wonders of the industrial world.

The legendary Millau Viaduct, which every self-respecting bridge builder knows about and which is considered an example of technological progress for all mankind, was designed by Michel Virlajo and the brilliant architect Norman Foster. For those who are not familiar with the works of Norman Foster, it should be clarified that this talented English engineer, promoted to knights and barons by the Queen of Great Britain, not only recreated, but also introduced a number of new unique solutions to the Berlin Reichstag. It was thanks to his painstaking work and precisely calibrated calculations that the main symbol of the country was literally revived from the ashes in Germany. Naturally, Norman Foster's talent made the Millau Viaduct one of the modern wonders of the world.

In addition to the British architect, a group called Eiffage, which includes the famous Eiffel workshop, which designed and built one of the main attractions of Paris, was involved in the work on the creation of the highest transport route in the world. By and large, the talent of Eiffel and the employees from his bureau created not only the “calling card” of Paris, but of the whole of France. In a well-coordinated tandem, the Eiffage group, Norman Foster and Michel Virlajo developed the Millau Bridge, which was inaugurated on December 14, 2004.

Already 2 days after the festive event, the first cars drove along the final link of the A75 highway. An interesting fact is that the first stone in the construction of the viaduct was laid on December 14, 2001, and the start of large-scale construction started on December 16, 2001. Apparently, the builders planned to coincide the opening date of the bridge with the start date of its construction.

Despite a group of the best architects and engineers, building the highest road bridge in the world was extremely difficult. By and large, there are two more bridges on our planet that are located above Millau above the surface of the earth: the Royal Gorge Bridge in the USA in Colorado (321 meters above the ground) and the Chinese bridge connecting the two banks of the Siduhe River.

True, in the first case we are talking about a bridge that can only be crossed by pedestrians, and in the second, about a viaduct, the supports of which are located on a plateau and their height cannot be compared with the supports and pylons of Millau. It is for these reasons that the French Millau Bridge is considered the most complex in its design and the highest road bridge in the world.

Some supports of the A75 terminal link are located at the bottom of the gorge that separates the “red plateau” and the Lazarka plateau. To make the bridge completely safe, French engineers had to separately develop each support: almost all of them are of different diameters and clearly designed for a specific load. The width of the largest bridge support reaches almost 25 meters at its base. True, in the place where the support connects to the road surface, its diameter noticeably narrows.

The workers and architects who developed the project had to face a whole host of difficulties during construction work. Firstly, it was necessary to strengthen the places in the gorge where the supports were located, and secondly, it was necessary to spend quite a lot of time transporting individual parts of the canvas, its supports and pylons. Just imagine that the main support of the bridge consists of 16 sections, each of them weighing 2,300 tons. Looking ahead a little, I would like to note that this is one of the records that belongs to the Millau Bridge.

Naturally, there are no vehicles in the world that could deliver such massive parts of the Millau Bridge supports. For this reason, the architects decided to deliver parts of the supports in parts (if one can put it that way, of course). Each piece weighed about 60 tons. It is quite difficult to even imagine how much time it took the builders just to deliver 7 supports to the bridge construction site, and this does not even take into account the fact that each support has a pylon just over 87 meters high, to which 11 pairs of high-strength cables are attached.

However, delivering construction materials to the site is not the only difficulty the engineers faced. The thing is that the Tar River valley has always been distinguished by a harsh climate: warmth, quickly giving way to piercing cold, sharp gusts of wind, steep cliffs - only a small part of what the builders of the majestic French viaduct had to overcome. There is official evidence that the development of the project and numerous studies lasted just over 10 years.

The road surface of the Millau Bridge, like its project itself, is unique; in order to avoid deformation of expensive metal surfaces, which will be quite difficult to repair in the future, scientists had to invent an ultra-modern asphalt concrete formula. The metal sheets are quite strong, but their weight, relative to the entire gigantic structure, can be called insignificant (“only” 36,000 tons).

The coating had to protect the canvas from deformation (be “soft”) and at the same time meet all the requirements of European standards (resist deformation, be used for a long time without repair and prevent so-called “shifts”). It is simply impossible for even the most cutting-edge technologies to solve this problem in a short time. During the construction of the bridge, the composition of the roadway was developed for almost three years. By the way, the asphalt concrete of the Millau Bridge is recognized as unique of its kind.

The Millau Bridge - harsh criticism

Despite the lengthy development of the plan, well-calibrated solutions and big names of architects, the construction of the viaduct initially aroused sharp criticism. By and large, in France any construction is subject to sharp criticism, just remember the Sacré-Coeur Basilica and the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Opponents of the construction of the viaduct said that the bridge would be unreliable due to shifts at the bottom of the gorge; will never pay off; the use of such technologies on the A75 highway is unjustified; the bypass route will reduce the flow of tourists to the city of Millau.

This is only a small part of the slogans that ardent opponents of the construction of a new viaduct addressed to the government. They were listened to and every negative call to the public was answered with an authoritative explanation. To be fair, we note that the opponents, which included influential associations, did not calm down and continued their protests almost the entire time the bridge was being built.

The Millau Bridge is a revolutionary solution

The construction of the most famous French viaduct, according to the most conservative estimates, took at least 400 million euros. Naturally, this money had to be returned, so travel on the viaduct was made to be paid: the point where you can pay for “a journey through the miracle of modern industry” is located near the small village of Saint-Germain. More than 20 million euros were spent on its construction alone.

At the toll station there is a huge covered canopy, the construction of which took 53 giant beams. During the “season”, when the flow of cars along the viaduct sharply increases, additional lanes are used, of which, by the way, there are 16 at the “passport”. At this point there is also an electronic system that allows you to track the number of cars on the bridge and their tonnage. By the way, the Eiffage concession will last only 78 years, which is exactly how long the state allocated to the group to cover its expenses.

Most likely, Eiffage will not even be able to recoup all the funds spent on construction. However, such unfavorable financial forecasts are viewed with a grain of irony within the group. Firstly, Eiffage is far from poor, and secondly, the Millau Bridge served as further proof of the genius of its specialists. By the way, talk that the companies that built the bridge will lose money is nothing more than fiction.

Yes, the bridge was not built at the expense of the state, but after 78 years, if the bridge does not bring profit to the group, France will be obliged to pay the losses. But if “Eiffage manages to earn 375 million euros on the Millau Viaduct earlier than in 78 years, the bridge will become the property of the country free of charge. The concession period will last, as mentioned above, 78 years (until 2045), but the group of companies gave a guarantee for their majestic bridge for 120 years.

Driving along the four-lane highway of the Millau Viaduct does not cost exorbitant amounts, as many might think. Driving a passenger car along the viaduct, the height of the main support of which is higher than the Eiffel Tower itself and only slightly lower than the Empire State Building, will cost only 6 euros (in the “season” 7.70 euros). But for two-axle cargo vehicles, the fare will be 21.30 euros; for three-axles - almost 29 euros. Even motorcyclists and people traveling on the viaduct on scooters have to pay: the cost of traveling along the Millau Bridge will cost them 3 euros and 90 euro cents.

The Millau Viaduct Bridge comprises an eight-span steel roadway supported by eight steel pillars. The weight of the roadway is 36,000 tons, width - 32 meters, length - 2460 meters, depth - 4.2 meters. The length of all six central spans is 342 meters, and the two outer ones are 204 meters long each. The road has a slight gradient of 3%, descends from the south side to the north, its curvature with a radius of 20 km in order to give drivers a better view. Traffic flows in two lanes in all directions.

The height of the columns ranges from 77 to 246 m, the diameter of one of the longest columns is 24.5 meters at the base, and at the road surface - eleven meters. Each base has sixteen sections. One section weighs 2 thousand 230 tons. The sections were assembled on site from individual parts. Each individual part of the section has a mass of sixty tons, seventeen meters in length and four meters in width. Each support must support pylons having a height of 97 meters. First, the columns were assembled, which were together with temporary supports, then parts of the canvas were moved along the supports using jacks. The jacks were controlled from satellites.