I saw a list in a newspaper recently which showed what they considered to be the 10 most spectacular bridges in the UK. Of course this sent me rushing to my bridges album - and found I had the following:
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Corrieshalloch Gorge, Highlands |
Glenfinnan Viaduct |
Bridge over the Atlantic, Argyll |
Forth Rail Bridge - second longest cantilever bridge |
|
Gateshead Millennium Bridge |
Ashness Bridge, Cumbria |
Ironbridge, Shropshire |
Clifton Suspension Bridge |
Tarr Steps, Somerset |
Newport Transporter Bridge (one of only 8 in the world)
nb - I dont have that one, but do have a card of the Middlesborough
transporter bridge: |
|
Their list is naturally highly subjective - I would have to include one of the more modern suspension bridges, and dramatic cable-stayed examples such as the new Severn Crossing. There are also more unusual ones - ancient ones in the heart of modern cities, or odd designs.
More I would choose from the UK:
Queen Elizabeth Bridge over the Thames |
Severn Crossing |
Humber Bridge |
Tower Bridge |
| Bridge Chapels were common in medieval Europe, but now there
are only six in England: St Ives (top right), Wakefield,
Bradford-upon-Avon (bottom right), Rotherham, Derby,
Rochester (latter 2 are on the banks, not structurally part of
bridge)
|
St Ives
Bradford on Avon |
Pont-y-cyllte aquaduct |
Brunel Bridge - over the Tamar at Plymouth |
Palladian Bridge |
Bridge House, Ambleside |
Postbridge, Dartmoor |
London - Millennium footbridge |
Skye Bridge |
And beyond the UK: iconic, tallest, longest, between 2 countries, unusual structure, ancient and others
Oresund Bridge, - between Denmark and Sweden |
International Bridge - between US and Canada |
Victoria Falls - rail bridge between Zambia and Zimbabwe |
|
Spectacular new Millau Bridge, France - the world's highest |
Pont de Normandie
|
Erasmus Bridge, Rotterdam
|
Nový Most Bridge, Bratislava - the world's longest cable-stayed bridge with one pylon and with one cable-stayed plane |
One of the many covered bridges of New England |
Luzern timber bridge
|
Bridge of Sighs, Venice
|
Ponte Vecchio, Florence, Italy |
Rialto, Venice, Italy |
Europabrücke, Austria |
Sydney Harbour Bridge |
|
Half Bridge of Avignon |
Vizcaya Bridge, Bilbao, Spain |
Mostar Bridge |
Mehmed Paša Sokolovic Bridge of Višegrad |
Amsterdam - lift bridge |
Cahors - Devil's Bridge |
Pont du Gard, France |
Ronda, Spain |
Chesapeake Bay Bridge - 7.7 miles long |
Bosphorus Bridge, Istanbul |
Brooklyn Bridge, New York |
Mackinac Bridge - longest suspension bridge (between spans) |
7 mile bridge, Florida |
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco |
Oakland Bay bridge, San Francisco |
|
Aquaduct - Segovia, Spain |
Aquaduct - Tarragona, Spain |
Viaduct, South Africa |
|
| To the new Hong Kong airport | Bridge over the River Kwai |
To make the link with my unesco collection: Ironbridge, Vizcaya, Mostar, Pont du Gard and Visegrad, are all on the list. Avignon, and the 2 spanish aquaducts of Tarragona and Segovia are part of bigger sites which are listed.
I have different views of many of the bridges illustrated above - so if you are interested in a swap, please contact me.
For lots more information, explanations, definitions - wikipedia has many pages on bridges.
Last updated: August 2008
