The address: France, near the city of Millau
Start of construction: year 2001
Completion of construction: 2004
Architect: Norman Foster and Michel Virlajo
Bridge Height: 343 m
Bridge length: 2460 m.
Bridge Width: 32 m
Coordinates: 44°5′18.64″N,3°1′26.04″E

One of the main wonders of the industrial world of France can be safely attributed to the world-famous Millau Bridge, which is the owner of several records at once.

Thanks to this giant bridge, stretching over a huge valley of the river called Tar, uninterrupted and high-speed movement from the French capital of Paris to the small town of Béziers is ensured. Many tourists who come to see this highest bridge in the world quite often ask themselves: “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 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 countries, enter these schools and colleges to study. major cities France, who are attracted by the elitism of education in Beziers. 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 world every year.

Pont Millau, which can rightly be considered the pinnacle of engineering and architects, is popular among travelers as one of the most interesting sights in France. Firstly, it offers a magnificent view of the Thar 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 reputable photo artists, adorn numerous office buildings and hotels not only in France, but throughout the Old World.

The bridge is a particularly fantastic sight when clouds gather under it: at this moment it seems as if the viaduct is suspended 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 for the sole purpose of unloading the national route number 9, which constantly formed huge traffic jams during the season, and tourists traveling in France, as well as truck drivers, were forced to stand idle for hours in traffic jams.

Pont Millau - construction history

The legendary Millau Viaduct, which every self-respecting bridge builder knows about and which is considered a model 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 work of Norman Foster, it should be clarified that this talented English engineer, knighted and baroned 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, precisely verified calculations, that the main symbol of the country was literally revived from the ashes in Germany. Naturally, the talent of Norman Foster made the Millau Viaduct one of the modern wonders of the world.

In addition to the architect from the UK, a group called Eiffage, which includes the famous Eiffel workshop, which designed and built one of the main attractions of Paris, took part in the creation of the highest transport artery in the world. By by and large, the talent of Eiffel and employees from his bureau erected not only a "visiting card" of Paris, but of the whole of France. In tandem, the Eiffage group, Norman Foster and Michel Virlajo designed the Pont Millau, 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, only in 2001, and the start of large-scale construction started on December 16, 2001. Apparently, the builders planned to coincide with the opening date of the bridge to the date of the start 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 only pedestrians can cross, and in the second, about a viaduct, the supports of which are located on a plateau and their height is not able to compare with the supports and pylons of Millau. It is for these reasons that the French Millau Bridge is considered the most difficult in terms of design and the highest automobile bridge in the world.

Some of the pillars 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 develop each support individually: almost all of them have different diameters and are clearly designed for a certain load. The width of the largest support of the bridge reaches almost 25 meters at its base. True, in the place where the support is connected to the roadway, its diameter narrows noticeably.

The workers and architects who developed the project had to face a whole host of difficulties during the construction work. Firstly, it was necessary to strengthen the places in the gorge where the supports were located, and secondly, quite a lot of time had to be spent on transporting individual parts of the canvas, its supports and pylons. One has only to imagine that the main support of the bridge consists of 16 sections, the weight of each of them is 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, vehicles that could deliver such massive parts of the pillars of the Millau Bridge do not yet exist in the world. For this reason, the architects decided to deliver parts of the supports in parts (if I may say so of course). Each piece weighed about 60 tons. It is quite difficult to even imagine how long it took the builders to deliver 7 (!) pillars to the bridge construction site, and that's not counting the fact that each pillar has a pylon a little over 87 meters high, to which 11 pairs of high-strength guys are attached.

However, delivery building materials to the object is not the only difficulty faced by the engineers. The thing is that the valley of the Tar River has always been distinguished by a harsh climate: heat, quickly replaced by 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 a little over 10 (!) Years. Work on the construction of the Pont Millau was completed in such difficult conditions, one might even say, in a record short time: It took builders and other services 4 years to bring to life the plan of Norman Foster, Michel Virlajo and architects from the Eiffage group.

The pavement of the Millau Bridge, like its project itself, is innovative: in order to avoid deformation of expensive metal canvases, 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 the so-called "shifts").

Even the most cutting-edge technologies to solve this problem in a short time is simply impossible. 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 in its kind.

Pont Millau - harsh criticism

Despite the long development of the plan, well-defined solutions and big names of architects, the construction of the viaduct initially caused sharp criticism. By and large, in France, any construction is sharply criticized, remember at least 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 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 each negative appeal to the public was given an authoritative explanation. In fairness, we note that the opponents, which included influential associations, did not calm down and continued their protests almost all the time the bridge was being built.

Millau Bridge - a revolutionary solution

The construction of the most famous French viaduct took, according to the most conservative estimates, no less than 400 million euros. Naturally, this money had to be returned, so the passage through the viaduct was made paid: the point where you can pay for the “trip 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. The toll booth features a huge covered canopy that took 53 giant beams to build. In the “season”, when the flow of cars along the viaduct increases sharply, additional lanes are used, which, by the way, are 16 at the “checkpoint”. There is also an electronic system at this point 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 much time the state allocated to the group to cover its expenses.

It is not known who and when was the first to throw a log across the river in order to cross to the other side. But from that moment on, mankind began to gradually approach the construction of modern bridges with advanced technologies. The invention of the canopy can be called one of the cornerstones of historical progress. Bridges not only unite the shores - they connect the destinies of people, they allow you to admire the beauties of nature from an unusual angle. Often they themselves become an object of interest and admiration due to their venerable age, beauty of architecture or unique parameters. One of the categories characterizing bridges is their height. And thanks to progress, the list of the highest bridges in the world is gradually increasing. We will consider them in the article.

The active development of bridge building in China has led to the fact that a large number of record-breaking bridges are located in this country. At the end of 2016, they were joined by the Beipanjiang Bridge, thrown over the river of the same name and uniting the southwestern provinces of Yunnan and Zhejiang. The title of the highest suspension bridge in the world has already been assigned to this object - the highest point is at the 565-meter mark or at the level of the 200th floor of a skyscraper. In addition, he is considered one of the pioneers of buildings of this type in the Asian mountainous regions.

The Beipanjiang Bridge is a cable-stayed suspension structure. It rests on two pylons in the form of the letter "H" on opposite sides of the river gorge. The reliability of the construction, in addition to steel cables, is provided by a stiffening beam under the main span. The construction of the 4-lane bridge, which is part of the highway, took 3 years and required an investment of $150 million.

Millau (France)

In the list of the highest bridges in the world, the Millau Viaduct over the Tarn River Valley is far from the last place. This building is considered one of the signs of France - the cable-stayed bridge is part of the route connecting the capital and the town of Beziers, which houses many elite educational institutions. Therefore, fast communication between the two cities is especially important. If we take the total height with the pylons, then the viaduct (343 m) is slightly lower (by 40 m) than the Empire State Building, but exceeds the "height" of the Eiffel Tower (by 37 m). A 4-lane roadbed floats over the valley at an altitude of 270 meters.

The Millau Viaduct, the highest bridge on the planet, was put into operation at the end of 2004. Design work was carried out for 10 years, and construction was delayed for 3 years due to strong winds and difficult terrain. Design workshops participated in the construction, which at one time designed the main symbol of Paris. The metal roadbed was installed on the supports using the extension method from opposite sides, giving commands via satellite.

Quite often, a thick fog envelops the river valley - and then the bridge floats among the clouds. But the viaduct looks especially impressive at night. Illuminated 7 pylons with red lights at the top and wings of stretched cables look like alien ships at the start. And the light from 7 supports, "walking" through the valley, turns it into a mysterious world.

Russian bridge (Russia)

Among the highest bridges in the world, a worthy place is given to the Russian. It is only slightly inferior to the French Millau in terms of the height of its two pylons. The height of the Russian bridge is 321 meters (against 343 French meters). The name of the relatively young (2012) bridge was given by Fr. Russian, who, thanks to this facility, received road communication with the coastal part of Vladivostok.

The construction of a bridge across the strait was brewing throughout the 20th century. But the engineering projects of 1939 and 1960 did not meet the set technical tasks. In 2008, in preparation for the APEC summit, the most advanced idea at that time was designed, which was put into practice in 2012. The bridge, as a link developing the transport system of Vladivostok, instantly became a symbol of the capital of Primorye - it is called one of the wonders of the Far East.

The uniqueness of the Russian Bridge lies in its three-kilometer length and the length of the central span, which at a height of 70 m from the water extends for 1104 meters - according to this indicator, it is the first in the world among bridges. latest methods: continuous concreting and use

The bridge is designed for car traffic only (4 lanes) - pedestrians are strictly prohibited from passing through the structure. The beauty and significance of the Russian Bridge is confirmed by its image on the new 2000 banknotes of Russia.

Sutun. Pride of China

The Sutong cable-stayed bridge from the numerous cohort of the highest bridges in China has been in operation since the middle of 2008. This cable-stayed giant in terms of its parameters in the list of the highest bridges in the world immediately follows the Russian giant - each of its two pylons reaches 306 m in height, and the central span lacks 16 m to the span of the Russian bridge.

The task of the builders of the bridge was to connect two cities from different districts of China with each other, which they successfully coped with. The cable-stayed Sutong Bridge (China) enters the delta of the river in a smooth arc. Yangtze and extends 8206 m above its main fairway. The roadbed is raised 62 m above the water for the unhindered passage of ships and container ships. The bridge has become a landmark in China, it plays an important role in the rapid economic growth of areas in the southern reaches of the river. Yangtze, where cities such as Shanghai are located.

Sutong is the engineering and economic pride of the Middle Kingdom, since the design and financing of the giant structure took place on its own by the state without the involvement of international assistance.

Bridge in Japan

An engineering marvel of Japanese bridge builders is the Akashi-Kaike suspension bridge, or Pearl. It is a connecting link between the islands of Honshu and Awaji. At the time of opening (1998) was considered the most high bridge in the world, as its two pylons rose 282.8 m above the waters of the Akashi Strait. Later, more impressive structures were built, but the scale and uniqueness of Akashi-Kaikyo did not suffer from this.

The Japanese giant is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the suspension bridge, the longest in the world (3911 m) - it is equal to approximately 4 Brooklyn bridges. The length of its central span is also phenomenal - 1991 m. Near the bridge there is a museum that tells about its construction.

The longest Zhemchuzhny Bridge was made by an earthquake that occurred during construction and moved one of the pylons away from the design site by 1 m. wind speed up to 80 m/s. The service life of Zhemchuzhny is designed for 200 years, and in the future it can become both a road and rail crossing.

But the bridge has a significant drawback - the passage through it is expensive, so most residents use the ferry or public transport.

highest railway bridge

The highest, like many automobile bridges, which for some time held the title of the highest in the world, is located in China. This facility connects the slopes of the famous Beipanjiang Canyon in the southwestern province of Guizhou in the vicinity of the city of Lupanshui. The bridge belongs to the arch type structures with one span and a passage along the upper part. highest point building is located at 275 meters. The railway bridge has been operating since 2001.

Transport facilities

The list of the highest transport bridges in the world is constantly changing. But currently it looks like this:

• Beipanjiang Road Bridge (China) - 565 m.
• Automobile viaduct Millau (France) - 343 m.
• Automobile Russian Bridge (Russia) - 321 m.
• Sutong Road Bridge (China) - 306 m.
• Automobile Pearl Bridge (Japan) - 282.8 m, in the future - and railway.
• Beipanjiang Canyon Railway Bridge (China) - 275 meters.

Pedestrian bridges of the world

The Kokonoe Yume Suspension Bridge is for pedestrians only. This is one of the highest pedestrian bridges in Japan - its structures reach a height of 173 meters. The object is located in the city of Kokonoe. At the same time, 1,800 vacationers can walk along the bridge, admiring the Kyushu Valley, Sindu Falls, or simply pictures of nature under their feet through the gratings of the central span. An unusual pedestrian bridge on the island bears the name of the Sky Bridge for its location at an altitude of 700 meters and magnificent views from it. The entire arc-shaped structure seems to be floating in the air, leaning on the only support - a column of 82 meters. This bridge is not the highest, it is only located at an unprecedented level. But he owns another record - he is the longest in the world among the curved suspension bridges (125 m).

The tallest pedestrian bridge is a glass structure in China. It opened for visitors in 2016 and is located in Zhangjiajie Forest Park. The height of its structures is 300 m, and the bridge itself is thrown from cliff to cliff at a height of 260 meters. Complex technical system consists of a steel frame and glass panels in the amount of 120 pieces. The structure can support the weight of 800 people walking on it at one time.

Bridges always attract the attention of a person with their technical characteristics or special appearance. They fascinate with the opportunity to admire the landscapes from unusual vantage points. And the inquisitive human mind will always create new bridge designs with the largest parameters.

THE BEST ENGINEERED DESIGNS OF ALL TIME

Surprisingly, the city with the largest number of bridges in Europe is not Venice, as many people think, but Hamburg. There are more than 2,300 bridges in this city, 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 latest ones, is able to glorify an absolutely obscure place and, at the same time, become the most memorable architectural landmark of cities and geoparks with a long history...

VINOGRADOVSKY BRIDGE (1985). KRASNOYARSK. RUSSIA

Vinogradovsky bridge- pedestrian through the channel of the Yenisei in Krasnoyarsk, a favorite place for walks of the townspeople and a tourist symbol of the city. This bridge is 550 meters long and 10 meters wide.

Initially, the bridge was named after the founder of Krasnoyarsk Andrey Dubensky. However, after some time, by order of the city administration unique design was named after the architect-builder Sergei Nikolayevich Vinogradov, the head of Bridge Crew 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 make it possible to have no doubts about the high reliability of its structures, despite their external weightlessness.

BEIPANJIANG (2016). ZHEJIANG AND YUNNAN PROVINCE, 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 has become part of the high-speed highway 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 docking of the two halves of the bridge connected the other day is only 5 mm!

More than $150 million was spent on the construction of the structure.

Previously, the bridge over the Syduhe River with a height of 495 m was considered the highest in the world.

ØRESUNN BRIDGE (1999 - 2000). COPENHAGEN, MALMË. DENMARK, SWEDEN

Unique road-rail design Oresundsbron(compromise between Danish Øresundsbroen and Swedish Oresundsbron ) connects Denmark (Copenhagen) and Sweden (Malmö) through the Øresund Strait. It 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 bearing pylons allow navigation in the alignment of the main span, 490 m long, 57 m high. However, most ships pass through the strait above the tunnel without hindrance.

Project architect - George Rothne, structural design - Ove Arup & Partners.

Scenic Bridge (2007). MOSCOW. RUSSIA

picturesque 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.

The competition for the best design of this bridge, which was supposed to connect three banks of the Moskva River at once, was announced in the early 2000s. In the end, the idea of ​​Omsk architects from LLC NPO MOSTOVIK 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, the width is 40 m, the height of the arch is 105 m. The length of the main span is more than 400 meters, which ensures comfortable passage of river vessels. The main "highlight" of the Picturesque Bridge is a unique observation deck and a restaurant in the form of an elliptical "flying saucer", as if frozen above the water at a 100-meter height ...

BRIDGE HARBOR BRIDGE / HARBOR BRIDGE (1932). SYDNEY. AUSTRALIA

Harbor Bridge- the largest bridge in Sydney and one of the largest steel arch bridges in the world. Sydney people jokingly call this bridge "Hanger" due to its remarkable shape. The bridge opened on March 19, 1932. The length of the arch 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 towers of the bridge houses a museum and the Pylon Lookout, which offers great views of the harbor and city centre. To climb the side arch of the bridge to its top, you only need rubber-soled shoes and a special suit with insurance, which is issued on the spot, the instructor will help you with everything else.

RAILWAY BRIDGE THROUGH 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 project of superstructures, developed by engineer E.N. Adadurov, was approved by the Siberian Railway Construction Department 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 was destroyed by the retreating troops of Kolchak. However, new structures for the destroyed farm were soon made at the Chusovoy Metallurgical Plant, and already on February 18, 1920, traffic along the Kamsky bridge was restored. The bridge has reached our timein a rebuilt form. In 1953, the bridge was expanded by dismantling ice cutters and erecting supports on the existing caisson base. Not only Russian, but also German and Hungarian factories were involved in the reconstruction (on account of repartitions).In 1988, the span structures were replaced by new ones designed by 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 200 passenger and freight traffic passes 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 sea Olympic capital of Russia.

Skybridge can get into the Guinness Book of Records as the longest suspension bridge in the world. A 700-meter cable car leads to it. The structure sits at a height of 218m, reaching 290m above individual sections of the gorge, which is particularly impressive as the bridge is made of a cross-linked polymer and appears transparent.

The width of the bridge is only 70 centimeters. New Zealander AJ Hackett designed the new landmark in Sochi. The bridge offers an impressive view of the Mzymta River. On the bridge there are platforms for fans of bungee jumping (jumping from a height on a cable). The bridge is able to withstand a magnitude 9 earthquake.

GLASS BRIDGE (2015). GEOPARK IN YUNTAISHAN MOUNTAINS. CHINA

This is the longest glass bridge in the world. It is located in the Hunan Province Geopark in the Yuntaishan Mountains at an altitude of 180 m and is considered one of the most terrible on the planet.

The bridge was completely redone in 2015. The previous structure connecting the peaks of the Stone Buddha Mountain was made of wood and dilapidated over time. However, 11 fearless engineers working 12 hours a day managed to turn it into a unique 300-meter glass “attraction”, which creates the illusion of walking through the air at a great height.

Not everyone decides to walk along the Glass Bridge. The base of the bridge is made of two-layer glass 24 millimeters thick, which is 25 times stronger than ordinary window panes. The builders claim that the bridge is able to 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 unexpectedly cracked when one of the tourists dropped a metal thermos of water on it. Eyewitnesses say that they were frightened by a loud sound and felt vibrations. Panic broke out, people screamed and tried to run off the bridge, risking crushing each other - a word in some blockbuster. Fortunately, things did not go beyond the cracks, and no one was hurt. Only one glass layer out of three was damaged from the fall of the thermos. Experts believe that the fault of the architects is not here. 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 hit at a certain point. Apparently, the thermos hit just that 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 the strongest blow, is actually zero.

ENVIRONMENTAL BRIDGE (2015). HUBEI PROVINCE. CHINA

Built in Hubei Province the world's first ecological low water bridge above a river. Remarkably, the four-kilometer bridge does not run across the river, but directly along the channel, which made it possible not to cut down trees during its construction. The bridge is part of a motorway, 10.5 km long. It follows the curves of the river exactly and connects the mountainous district with the central freeway. This bridge became a tourist attraction as soon as it opened. And many travelers have already set out to ride along the new ecological highway.

AKASHI-KAIKE BRIDGE (1998). HONSHU AND AWAJI ISLANDS. 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 steel cables stretched along the bridge is a total of 300,000 kilometers. That's enough to wrap the Earth 7.5 times! The bridge crosses the Akashi Strait and connects the city of Kobe on the island of Honshu with the city of Awaji on the island of Awaji. It is part of one of the three highways connecting Honshu and Shikoku.

Before the bridge was built, ferries ran across the Akashi Strait, which was very dangerous due to severe storms. In fact, the construction of the bridge began in 1988, and the opening took place on April 5, 1998. Initially, two concrete bases for the pylons were built at the bottom of the Akashi Strait. For this, two huge round shapes to pour concrete, then they were flooded. The difficulty was to sink them with great accuracy, but the builders of the bridge coped with this, despite the strong current in the Akashi Strait. For the construction of this bridge was designed special concrete, which does not dissolve in water when poured. The next step in the construction of the bridge was the pulling of cables, which was carried out using a helicopter. In 1995, when both cables were stretched and it was possible to proceed with the installation of the roadway, there was major earthquake at 7.3 points. And due to the change in the relief of the bottom of the strait, one of the pylons moved 1 m to the side, thus violating all calculations. However, the engineers found a solution, and construction works delayed only a month. Due to the high fare ($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 in the absence of any alternatives. The structure of the bridge is very mobile and weak, so it is very scary to walk on it.

"MONKEY BRIDGE". TATTON PARK. GREAT BRITAIN

An almost weightless bridge hovers over the pond, suspended from three huge white balloons in the English Tatton Park. The composition is called "Monkey Bridge". The author of the bridge is the French artist Olivier Grossetete. Unfortunately, people can’t run along such a crossing, it’s just a fabulous art installation.

VIADUCT MILLAU/MILLFU VIADUCT. FRANCE

Futuristic bridge above the clouds Millfu Viaduct located in France. At the time of its construction, the Millau Viaduct was the tallest traffic bridge in the world. The height of one of its pillars 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. Passing through this architectural wonder, it seems as if you are taking off.

BRIDGE "RAINBOW FOUNTAIN" BANPO BRIDGE (2009). SEOUL. KOREA

The fountain bridge is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the bridge on which the longest fountain in the world 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, illuminated by multi-colored LEDs, the jets of water move, performing a beautiful dance.

"DRUNK BRIDGE" / STORSEISUNDET BRU (1989).
MËRE-OG-ROMSDAL PROVINCE. NORWAY

Storseisundet bru- one of the seven bridges of the unique "Atlantic Road" of Norway, connecting the mainland and the island of Averoy in the province of Møre og Romsdal. The Storsesandet Bridge is built in such a way that, at the moment of approach, it creates the illusion of a springboard from which you can take off with the car. Locals call this bridge "Drunk", because its shape is constantly changing depending on the angle of view.

SUSPENSION BRIDGE KIKKI (1991). MIE PREFECTURE. 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 members of the club with a free passage from the club house 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 railing. 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- the largest water bridge in Germany, connecting the inner port of Berlin with the 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 locality Hohenwart.

For the first time, the idea of ​​building such a bridge was expressed as early as 1919, and by 1938 the Rothensee ship lift and bridge supports were ready. During the First and Second World Wars, construction was delayed. Also, after the division of Germany into the FRG and the GDR, construction was postponed indefinitely by the government of the GDR. 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, the ships were forced to make a twelve-kilometer detour through the Rotenseev 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. This post was designed and built by West 8.

AIOLA BRIDGE RESTAURANT (2003). GRATS. AUSTRIA

In 2003, New York architect Vito Acconci designed the Aiola 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.

PONTE VECCHIO BRIDGE (1345). FLORENCE. ITALY

Ponte Vecchio- the oldest bridge in Florence and the only one that has retained its original appearance. The bridge was built in 1345. A distinctive feature of 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 of the city.

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

366 meter bridge Royal Gorge, designed by George Cole and Frank Stael in grand canyon Arkansas River, became the prototype of the "Jurassic Park". This canyon gained particular fame in the middle of the 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 attraction bridge with a boardwalk was built. True, in the 1960s, Royal Gorge became infamous as the “suicide bridge”, where those who wished to commit suicide specially came. Fortunately, at the beginning of the XXI century. they were replaced by tourists who want to make extreme jumps from the legendary bridge.

GATESHEAD MILLENNIUM BRIDGE (2001). GATEHEAD, NEWCASTLE. GREAT BRITAIN

The 126m Swing 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 swing-and-turn structure. This design is based on two arches connected by cables, one of which serves as a footpath capable of passing small vessels under it; and the other is raised about 50 m above the water. When a tall vessel approaches the bridge, the bridge performs a pirouette - the so-called “winking eye”, when six hydraulic jacks turn both arches 40 degrees around the axis connecting their ends, and their upper points are at a height of about 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 able to withstand a collision with a ship with a displacement of up to 4000 tons, moving at a speed of up to 4 knots. The Gateshead Millennium Bridge has won over 30 awards for engineering, architecture and design solutions. In 2007, the Royal Mint placed his image on the reverse of the one pound coin.

SKY BRIDGE/LANGKAWI SKY BRIDGE (2004). LANGKAWI ISLAND. MALAYSIA

Architects: Peter Wyss, Höltschi & Schurter Dipl. Ing. ETH/SIA AG.

The mysteriously curved "Heavenly Bridge" really seems to be hovering over an abyss at an altitude of 700 m above sea level. Langkawi Sky Bridge is located near the top of Mat Chichang Mountain on the resort island of Langkawi. Pirates of the Andaman Sea once hid there, and now it is a UNESCO Geopark. The length of the bridge is 125 m. It rests on just one column and cables fixed in the rocks. The cable car in two stages with an intermediate stop lifts 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 international competition footbridge.

BRIDGE-TRANSFORMER / ROLLING BRIDGE (2005). PADDINGTON. GREAT BRITAIN

The unique octagonal transformer bridge in Paddington literally unfolds every Friday at noon, turning into a 12-meter walkway 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 Packman Lucas, spied on the principle of operation of this “segmented kinetic sculpture” from ... a garden caterpillar. Hidden within the foldable metal parapet of the bridge are hydraulic pistons that synchronously deploy and retract the bridge, which won 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 very unusual. Seven ribbed steel bulges above and below the decking of the bridge form a system of side niches, in which there are places for recreation, with benches and tables. The interior of the bridge is made of yellow balau wood, the exterior is made of ribbed lamellar metal structures, in which lighting devices 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 twice jubilee: 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. As conceived by the architect, the bridge for the high-speed tram line with footpaths, suspended on 66 guys assembled into a single parabolic structure on a single 119 m high pylon, 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 ancient city. The new bridge suddenly found itself at the center of a political scandal. It is located on the border of East Jerusalem, captured by Israel during the Six Day War and still legally considered the occupied Palestinian territory. The hardliners in the PLO strongly objected to the construction and threatened to sue the Israeli government.

PONT GUSTAVE-FLAUBERT (2008). RUAN.FRANCE

Pont Gustave Flaubert is located in Rouen and is considered the highest drawbridge in Europe (total height 91 m, the height of the roadbed is 55 m). Its length is 670 m. The bridge was designed by Aymeric Zublen, Michel Virlojo and François Gillard in such a way that not only cruise ships, but also sailboats participating in the Rouen Armada ship parade could pass under it. By the way, its opening took place before the next "Armada". The bridge bears the name of the Rouen-born French writer Gustave Flaubert, and its lifting mechanism is launched 30-40 times a year. Each roadbed has its own lift section. At the same time, the opening between the platforms of the bridge, hanging over the river at a height of 7 m, partly preserves the inflow 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 Peace Bridge 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 Norman Foster-inspired glass-panel canopy bridge was designed by Italian architect Michele de Lucchi in collaboration with French lighting designer Philippe Martineau.

A curious illumination system is built into the design of the Bridge of Peace: 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 structure.

MOSES BRIDGE (2011). FORT ROVER. NETHERLANDS

Moses Bridge- the newest of the unusual bridges in the world. It is located in Fort Roover, built 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 difficult task- throw a bridge over the fortress moat for tourists, making it almost invisible. The architects brilliantly coped with the task, the bridge was designed in such a way that the pedestrian flooring is below the water level. From a distance it is invisible, but upon closer inspection it resembles a small ditch cutting through the 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. The Moses Bridge was shortlisted for the prestigious Dutch Design Awards.

We welcome you again on the pages of our site "I and the World"! Bridges stretch over water, over land, over an abyss. Today we will tell you which is the longest bridge in the world.

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.

1st place 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 trains travel on land. The 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 is taken by Great Tianjin - 113,700 m

This facility continues the high-speed rail line between the cities of Beijing and Shanghai, and is also built in China.

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

Another Chinese railway bridge. It connects the banks of the Wei River and crosses it twice. Trains have been running on it since 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 a bridge, because it passes above the ground. The automotive giant is located in Thailand and has been building it for 5 years. Serious traffic jams convinced the authorities to build this highway and invest more than a billion dollars in it. And although the highway is paid, many motorists and tourists try to drive along it, bypassing traffic jams and admiring the surrounding views.

Middle of the rating - Qingdao - 42,500 m

The largest car project across the body of water. All 42.5 km Qingdao bridge goes over the bay. They built it for 4 years, and during this time it took 10 billion dollars. Every day, up to 30,000 cars pass on the road, saving only half an hour of time. Some are surprised: why was it necessary to spend such money from the budget for 30 minutes of savings?

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 is given to the Hangzhou Bay Bridge - 35,673 m

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

8th place 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 is laid mainly through wetlands, and every 25 km it was necessary to make concrete pillows for supports, and they are expensive. The highest train speed 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 is given to the Bridge-tunnel that passes through 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 toll on the bridge is $12 per toll. Cars drive for a while on the surface, and then “leave” down into the tunnel under water so that the ships can freely sail through the structure.

And completes the list - 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 the 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 arch was built in Shanghai, more than 3.5 km long and about 45 m high

The longest hinged glass tower again in China is 488m long and 2m wide

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

The longest pedestrian suspension runs over the Akhshtyr Gorge in Sochi. Length - 439 m and it stretches at a height of 207 m

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

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

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

It is about 29 meters wide and weighs 23,000 tons. High pylons rise up to 324 m. Another large cable-stayed pylon is located in St. Petersburg across the Neva River. It is fixed 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. Over a distance of 19 km, there will be a road and railway from the Taman Peninsula to the Crimean coast through the sea strait. Opening Crimean bridge: .

We shared information about the longest and most unusual bridges in the world, passing through the sea, land, hanging and railway. Share information with friends in in social networks and see you on the pages of our site!

12-05-2014, 18:16
Many people, going on a trip, first of all wonder what they will be able to see at their final destination. Of course, the choice of sights for sightseeing is a matter of taste - someone likes it more, and someone likes old mansions more, someone likes city panoramas, and someone likes natural landscapes. Nevertheless, there are sights that you cannot miss visiting, being close to them, they are so unusual, interesting and famous - the Statue of Liberty, the Colosseum, the Moscow Kremlin, the Eiffel Tower. Bridges are often such sights. Take, for example, the Golden Gate Bridge in American San Francisco - why did you not come to this hospitable Californian city, you will definitely visit this bridge, or at least look at it from afar. It is the bridges that you should definitely see when you are nearby that this article is devoted to - we will talk about the highest and longest bridges in the world. So let's start with the high ones.

The highest bridges in the world

The fifth line of the ranking is occupied by Japanese bridge Akashi-Kaikyo. The construction of this extraordinary bridge lasted for ten years from 1988 to 1998. The bridge connects the islands of Honshu and Awaji, the ferry crossing between which is seriously difficult due to regular unrest at sea, which was the main reason for the creation of an outstanding bridge. The total length of the bridge is 3.91 thousand meters, and the height of the pylons is 298 meters.

In fourth place in height among the highest bridges in the world was chinese sutong bridge across the Yangtze River. This cable-stayed bridge, which connects the cities of Changsha and Nantong, has a height of 306 meters. The bridge consists of two pylons and has a total length of 8.206 thousand meters. The bridge looks especially impressive from the water. There is even an excursion dedicated to the bridge in Changsha, which includes both viewing the bridge from the river and a trip along the bridge itself.

Third place in the list of the highest bridges in the world is Russian bridge in Vladivostok, which connects Cape Novosilsky and the Nazimov Peninsula. open first On August 2012, the bridge moved the Sutong Bridge, which previously ranked second in the world in height, to the third line, since the height of its pylons is 324 meters. At the same time, the total length of the bridge is small - about 1,886 thousand meters.

The second place in the list of the highest bridges in the world is Millau Viaduct. This French cable-stayed bridge structure is last link route Paris - Beziers A75. Opened in 2004, the bridge was the highest bridge in the world for five years - the height of its pillars is 343 meters, which is 20 meters higher than the main French landmark, the Eiffel Tower. The length of the bridge is 2.46 thousand meters.

In the honorable first place in the world in height is located chinese bridge over siduhe. This unusual suspension bridge, located in Hubei province, is part of the G50 high-speed highway between Shanghai and Chongqing. Max Height structures above the ground is about 496 meters. Opened in mid-November 2009, this bridge has become a popular tourist attraction.

The longest bridges in the world

So, the fifth place is located in China qingdao bridge through Jiaozhou Bay - crossing northern part bay, the bridge connects Qingdao City and the industrial suburb of Huangdao. The total length of the bridge opened in 2011 is about 42.5 meters. Tourists should take note that there are many water excursions in Qingdao Bay. Alas, at the time of this writing, there is no excursion to the bridge, however, there are many other interesting sightseeing tours on water transport, from which you can view this majestic structure.

The fourth place is occupied by Thai Bang Na Highway, which, in fact, is not quite a bridge, but rather is a bridge-type structure similar to an overpass. The length of the highway located in Bangkok is about 54 thousand meters. It is noteworthy that the bridge, opened in 2000, until 2010 was the longest bridge in the world.

Third place, and China again. Railway Bridge over the Wei It is part of the Zhengzhou High-Speed ​​Railway, which connects Xi'an and Zhengzhou. The length of the open in February 2010 year is about 79.73 thousand meters. It is noteworthy that this bridge crosses the Wei River twice, as well as many other water features.

Second place is Tianjin Viaduct. Like the previous bridge, it is part of a high-speed rail line. It is part of the Beijing-Tianjin Intercity Railway and the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed ​​Railway. The length of the bridge is 113.7 thousand meters. The bridge was opened to train traffic in 2011.

First place - longest bridge in the world. Surprisingly, the first line of the rating went to the Chinese bridge - opened in 2011 Danyang-Kunshan Viaduct, like the previous bridge of the list, is part of the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway. The bridge, whose length is a record 164.8 thousand meters, connects Shanghai and Nanjing. In addition to railway lines, the bridge also accommodates several traffic lanes. Of course, given this length, we are not talking about any excursions along this bridge, and it will not be possible to choose the most suitable viewpoint either. But on the bridge you can ride - at great speed and with comfort.

Of course, this list does not include all the grandiose bridges of the world, especially since new records are set in this area almost every year. But all the bridges presented in our rating deserve to be looked at, even if they cease to be the highest and longest, giving way to newer, even higher and longer bridges.

Video about the largest bridges in the world