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Travel


THE 27 MOST BEAUTIFUL BRIDGES IN THE WORLD

Designed by world-renowned architects such as Zaha Hadid and Santiago Calatrava,
these bridges are travel destinations in their own right
By Nick Mafi and Katherine McLaughlin
January 12, 2023

 * Pinterest

XIANJU, CHINA - JUNE 12 2021: A view of Ruyi Bridge, a bending glass-bottomed
structure spanning across a canyon in Shenxianju scenic zone, in the clouds in
Xianju county in east China's Zhejiang province Saturday, June 12, 2021. (Photo
credit should read Feature China/Future Publishing via Getty Images)Future
Publishing/Getty Images

Save this storySave
Save this storySave

In the world of architecture, perhaps nothing is more utilitarian than a bridge.
Indeed, not only do these spanning structures allow us to safely pass over a
gap, but unlike some skyscrapers and homes, everyone has access to a bridge. And
just because they are functional it does not mean they have to be ordinary in
design. In fact, it’s in bridges that some of the world’s biggest architects
show what their creative minds are capable of. From the Zaha Hadid–designed
bridge in Abu Dhabi to perhaps the lesser known Khaju Bridge in Isfahan, Iran,
AD rounds up 27 of the world’s most beautiful bridges. In function, they allow
us to reach the other side of the divide. In form, however, they do something
else entirely.



All products featured on Architectural Digest are independently selected by our
editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn
an affiliate commission.

 *  * Pinterest
   
   Photo: Getty Images
   1/27
   
   
   CONSTITUTION BRIDGE (VENICE, ITALY)
   
   Completed in 2008, Venice's Constitution Bridge is an iconic landmark that
   stands out within a city packed with incredible architecture. Designed by
   starchitect Santiago Calatrava, the structure is equally as beautiful to look
   at from above as it is from below (which is a concave, ribbed design).
   
   
   
   
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   Photo: Getty Images/Vichie81
   2/27
   
   
   HENDERSON WAVES BRIDGE (SINGAPORE)
   
   At its highest point Henderson Waves bridge is just over 118 feet, making it
   Singapore's tallest bridge. The modern pedestrian bridge is surrounded by the
   regions lush natural foliage. Designed by the Singaporean-based firm RSP
   Architects, Henderson Waves bridge connects Mount Faber Park and Telok
   Blangah Hill Park.
   
   
   



 *  * Pinterest
   
   Photo: Getty Images/Christian Kober
   3/27
   
   
   SERI WAWASAN BRIDGE (PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA)
   
   Completed in 2003, the Seri Wawasan Bridge was designed by the Kuala
   Lumpur-based firm, PJSI Consultants, and is located in Putrajaya, Malaysia.
   
   
 * 
 *  * Pinterest
   
   Photo: Getty Images/Richard Wareham Fotografie
   4/27
   
   
   NESCIO BRIDGE (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS)
   
   Completed in 2006, Amsterdam's Nescio Bridge was so breathtaking in beauty
   and form that it won three major awards in a two-year span. Designed by the
   London-based WilkinsonEyre, the total length of the structure spans almost
   2,600 feet, carrying pedestrians and cyclists over the Amsterdam–Rhine Canal.
   
   

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 *  * Pinterest
   
   Photo: Getty Images/RudyBalasko
   5/27
   
   
   RIALTO BRIDGE (VENICE, ITALY)
   
   Venice's Rialto Bridge, which was built in the 16th century, is the oldest
   bridge still standing over the city's Grand Canal.
   
   
   
 *  * Pinterest
   
   Photo: Getty Images/traumschoen
   6/27
   
   
   ZUBIZURI (BILBAO, SPAIN)
   
   The Zubizuri footbridge (which also goes by the names Campo Volantin Bridge
   and Puente del Campo Volantin) was built in 1997. Designed by the legendary
   architect Santiago Calatrava, the structure is located in Bilbao, Spain.
   
   

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   Photo: Getty Images/FilippoBacci
   7/27
   
   
   MANHATTAN BRIDGE (NEW YORK CITY, USA)
   
   When the Manhattan Bridge was completed in 1912, it took the Brooklyn
   Bridge's place for the longest bridge in the city. Spanning some 6,855 feet
   across the East River, the Manhattan Bridge was designed by Leon Moisseiff.
   Today, hundreds of thousands of commuters use the bridge, crossing by
   automobile, subway train, bicycle, or on foot.
   
   
 *  * Pinterest
   
   Photo: Getty Images/Richard Sharrocks
   8/27
   
   
   SHEIKH ZAYED BRIDGE (ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES)
   
   Designed by the late Zaha Hadid, Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Bridge was
   completed in 2010 for a total of $300 million.
   
   

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 *  * Pinterest
   
   Photo: Getty Images/Peter Horvath
   9/27
   
   
   SZÉCHENYI CHAIN BRIDGE (BUDAPEST, HUNGARY)
   
   Designed by the British-born engineer William Tierney Clark, Budapest's
   Széchenyi Chain Bridge opened in 1849 and crosses the mighty Danube river.
   
   
 *  * Pinterest
   
   Photo: Getty Images/vicm
   10/27
   
   
   GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE (SAN FRANCISCO, USA)
   
   Among the most recognizable structures in the world, San Francisco's Golden
   Gate Bridge was completed in 1937. Conceived by architect Irving Morrow, the
   Art Deco-designed building was named one of the Wonders of the Modern World
   by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
   
   

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 *  * Pinterest
   
   Photo: Getty Images/fotoquique
   11/27
   
   
   PUENTE DE LA MUJER (BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA)
   
   Designed by starchitect Santiago Calatrava, Puente de la Mujer, which was
   completed in 2001, is located in the commercial district of Buenos Aires.
   
   
 *  * Pinterest
   
   Photo: Getty Images/TommL
   12/27
   
   
   THE HELIX BRIDGE (SINGAPORE)
   
   The Helix Bridge twists through the heart of Singapore, linking Marina Centre
   with Marina South. Completed in 2010, the bridge stands out in a city with
   modern architectural gems.
   
   

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 *  * Pinterest
   
   Photo: Getty Images/rmnunes
   13/27
   
   
   JUSCELINO KUBITSCHEK BRIDGE (BRASILIA, BRAZIL)
   
   Located in Brasilia, Brazil, the Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge (also referred
   to as the JK Bridge) was designed by the architect Alexandre Chan and the
   structural engineer Mário Vila Verde. When it was completed in 2002, the
   total cost of the bridge was roughly $57 million.
   
   
   
 *  * Pinterest
   
   Photo: Getty Images/bensib
   14/27
   
   
   MILLAU VIADUCT (CREISSELS, FRANCE)
   
   Besides being one of the most beautiful bridges in the world, the Millau
   Viaduct is also the world’s tallest bridge. Running through the valley of the
   River Tarn near Millau in southern France, the bridge’s summit rises some
   1,125 feet above the base of the structure. Designed by architect Sir Norman
   Foster and structural engineer Michel Virlogeux, the bridge opened in 2004.
   
   

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 *  * Pinterest
   
   Photo: Getty Images/courtyardpix
   15/27
   
   
   CHARLES BRIDGE (PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC)
   
   The Charles Bridge, which was completed in the early 1400s, is a historic
   bridge that crosses the Vltava river in Prague, Czech Republic. Built
   entirely of stone, the bridge nearly stretches 1,700 feet and is decorated
   with dozens of statues on both sides.
   
   
 *  * Pinterest
   
   Photo: Getty Images/Onfokus
   16/27
   
   
   BROOKLYN BRIDGE (NEW YORK CITY, USA)
   
   New York's Brooklyn Bridge is an iconic structure with a rich history.
   Completed in 1883, the bridge terrified many New Yorkers after a panic on the
   structure turned into a stampede, leaving 12 people dead. To prove local
   residents that the bridge was safe, local officials paraded 21 elephants
   across the length of the Brooklyn Bridge. Today, roughly 150,000 vehicles and
   pedestrians use it to cross the East River every day.
   
   

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 *  * Pinterest
   
   Photo: Getty Images/Nat & Yanna Brandt
   17/27
   
   
   KHAJU BRIDGE (ISFAHAN, IRAN)
   
   Built in 1650, Isfahan's Khaju Bridge was built at the height of the Safavid
   dynasty (1501–1736) in modern day Iran. The structure, which is 436 feet long
   and 40 feet wide, contains 23 arches. Beautiful in the daylight and at night,
   the Khaju Bridge is a popular public meeting spot.
   
   
 *  * Pinterest
   
   Photo: Getty Images/Martin Ruegner
   18/27
   
   
   HIGH BRIDGE (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS)
   
   Completed in 2001, Amsterdam's High Bridge (which also goes by the name
   Python Bridge) was designed by the New York–based firm West 8.
   
   

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   Photo: Getty Images/Moment RF
   19/27
   
   
   TOWER BRIDGE (LONDON, ENGLAND)
   
   Today, the iconic Tower Bridge in London is a must-see tourist attraction.
   Opened in 1894, the bridge allows automobiles and pedestrians to cross the
   River Thames, while also allowing river traffic to pass, as the bascules can
   be raised to an angle of 86 degrees.
   
   
 *  * Pinterest
   
   Photo: Laurian Ghinitoiu
   20/27
   
   
   THE TWIST (JEVNAKER, NORWAY)
   
   Completed in 2019, Bjarke Ingels Group's is three structures in one. Part
   museum, part bridge, and part sculpture, the nearly 11,000 square-foot art
   installation primarily acts as a bridge, connecting two forested riverbanks,
   while also completing the route through Kistefos, northern Europe’s largest
   sculpture park.
   
   

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   View Pictures/Getty Images
   21/27
   
   
   TINTAGEL BRIDGE (TINTAGEL, UNITED KINGDOM)
   
   Previously, if you wanted to get to Tintagel Castle, you had to climb up a
   treacherous road to the top of a mountain. Tintagel Bridge, completed in
   2019, reinterprets a historic footbridge that used to connect the divided
   landscape, though it disappeared between the 14th and 17th centuries. In late
   2022, the bridge won the inaugural Building Beauty Awards granted by William
   Matthews Associates.
   
   
   
 *  * Pinterest
   
   Bloomberg/Getty Images
   22/27
   
   
   MARGARET HUNT HILL BRIDGE (DALLAS, USA)
   
   Spanning the Trinity River in Dallas, this modernist bridge was designed by
   Santiago Calatrava in 2012. The bridge’s stunning arch stands at 400 feet
   tall with 58 strands descending from it.
   
   

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 *  * Pinterest
   
   Courtesy of SkyBridge Michigan, Boyne Mountain Resort
   23/27
   
   
   SKYBRIDGE MICHIGAN (BOYNE FALLS, MICHIGAN)
   
   Claiming the title as the world’s longest timber-towered suspension bridge,
   Skybridge Michigan spans 1,200 feet across Boyne Valley. Hanging 118 feet
   above the ground, the bridge is particularly popular in the fall among
   visitors hoping to catch incredible views of the surrounding foliage.
   
   
 *  * Pinterest
   
   Future Publishing/Getty Images
   24/27
   
   
   RUYI BRIDGE (ZHEJIANG, CHINA)
   
   Technically three bridges, the Ruyi Bridge is a ribbon-shaped pedestrian
   bridge crossing China’s Shenxianju Valley. Designed by He Yunchang, its
   construction finished in 2020. Aside from its stunning shape, perhaps the
   most notable feature is its glass-bottomed floor.
   
   

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   LINH PHAM/Getty Images
   25/27
   
   
   GOLDEN BRIDGE (DA NANG, VIETNAM)
   
   Though it may look like the Golden Bridge in Da Nang is being supported by
   two oversized hands, rest assured these are mostly for show. Part of the Bà
   Nà Hills resort, the pedestrian bridge was created to connect a nearby cable
   car station and gardens.
   
   
 *  * Pinterest
   
   PABLO PORCIUNCULA/Getty Images
   26/27
   
   
   LAGUNA GARZON BRIDGE (ROCHA DEPARTMENT AND MALDONADO DEPARTMENT, URUGUAY)
   
   Most known for its unusual shape, this circular bridge was designed to slow
   down traffic, allowing pedestrians to cross the bridge more safely.
   Connecting Rocha Department and Maldonado Department in Uruguay, the Laguna
   Garzon Bridge was designed by Rafael Viñoly.
   
   

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   Photo: Lukas Bischoff/Getty Images 
   27/27
   
   
   ATLANTIC OCEAN ROAD (AVERØY AND HUSTADVIKA, NORWAY)
   
   Designed to connect an archipelago, Atlantic Ocean Road is a part of County
   Road 64 in northern Norway. Built in the early ’80s, the passageway is now a
   popular place to shoot car commericals.
   
   




Nick Mafi is a Senior Features Editor at Architectural Digest. He has been
working at Condé Nast for more than a decade. In that time, Nick's work has
appeared in Architectural Digest, Condé Nast Traveler, Esquire, GQ, Slate, The
Daily Beast, and Vanity Fair. He has written for The Metropolitan... Read more
Features Editor

Katherine McLaughlin is the digital features editor at Architectural Digest
where she covers architecture and design news, travel, and real estate, among
other things. Previously, she wrote trend, lifestyle, and DIY stories for AD as
a freelancer as well as contributing to other publications such as The New York
Times,... Read more

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