List of bridges facts for kids
Bridges are amazing structures that help us travel over obstacles like rivers, valleys, or even other roads! They connect places, making it easier for people and goods to move around. From ancient stone arches to modern marvels of engineering, bridges come in all shapes and sizes, each with its own special story.
This list explores some of the most famous and interesting bridges from different parts of the world. Get ready to discover how these incredible structures help connect our planet!
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Africa
Africa is home to many important bridges that help connect communities and countries.
Egypt
Egypt has several notable bridges, especially around the famous Nile River and Suez Canal.
- The 6th October Bridge in Cairo is one of the longest bridges in Africa.
- The Long Live Egypt Bridge in Rod El Farag, Cairo, opened in 2019. It's known for being the world's widest suspension bridge, measuring an incredible 67.3 meters (about 220 feet) across!
Mozambique
- The Dona Ana Bridge is a long railway bridge that crosses the Zambezi River. It's a key link for trains in the region.
South Africa
South Africa features some impressive bridges, including those used for adventure sports.
- The Bloukrans Bridge is famous for being one of the highest bungee jumping spots in the world!
- The Nelson Mandela Bridge in Johannesburg is a modern cable-stayed bridge, named after the beloved former president.
Zimbabwe and Zambia
- The Victoria Falls Bridge is a historic bridge built in 1905. It links Zimbabwe and Zambia right near the stunning Victoria Falls, offering incredible views. It was originally part of a plan for a railway connecting Cape Town to Cairo.
Asia
Asia, the largest continent, has some of the world's longest and highest bridges, showing incredible engineering achievements.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh has many bridges that cross its numerous rivers.
- The Jamuna Bridge is one of the longest bridges in the country, connecting different regions.
- The Padma Bridge is another huge multi-purpose bridge, vital for transport and trade.
China
China is home to many record-breaking bridges.
- The Donghai Bridge is one of the longest bridges that crosses the sea.
- The Duge Bridge is currently the highest bridge in the world! Its deck is incredibly high above the ground.
- The Lupu Bridge in Shanghai is a famous arch bridge.
India
India has a mix of ancient and modern bridges, some with unique designs.
- The Atal Pedestrian Bridge in Ahmedabad is a beautiful footbridge designed for people to walk across.
- The Chicham Bridge in the Spiti Valley is one of Asia's highest bridges, located high up in the mountains.
- The Howrah Bridge in Kolkata is a famous cantilever bridge, known for its busy traffic.
- The Pamban Bridge connects mainland India with Pamban Island. It's an old and impressive railway bridge that can open to let ships pass.
Indonesia
Indonesia, with its many islands, relies on bridges to connect communities.
- The Suramadu Bridge connects the islands of Java and Madura. It's the longest bridge in Indonesia.
- The Barelang Bridge is actually a chain of six bridges that connect several islands in the Riau Islands province.
Japan
Japan is known for its advanced engineering, especially in building long and strong bridges.
- The Akashi Kaikyō Bridge is the longest suspension bridge in the world! It's an amazing feat of engineering.
- The Tatara Bridge is a beautiful cable-stayed bridge with a very long main span.
- The Great Seto Bridge is a series of bridges that connect the islands of Honshu and Shikoku, carrying both road and rail traffic.
- The Hōrai Bridge is famous for being the longest wooden bridge in the world.
South Korea
South Korea has many modern and impressive bridges, especially around its major cities.
- The Incheon Bridge is a very long cable-stayed bridge that connects Incheon International Airport to the mainland.
- The Gwangan Bridge in Busan is a beautiful suspension bridge, often lit up at night.
- The Yi Sun-sin Bridge is one of the longest suspension bridges in the world.
Malaysia
Malaysia has important bridges that connect its landmasses and even link to neighboring countries.
- The Penang Bridge connects the island of Penang with the mainland. It was once one of the longest bridges in Southeast Asia.
- The Penang Second Bridge, also known as the Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge, is even longer than the first Penang Bridge.
- The Seri Wawasan Bridge in Putrajaya is known for its modern and striking design.
Philippines
The Philippines, being an archipelago, relies on bridges to connect its many islands.
- The San Juanico Bridge is the longest bridge in the Philippines. It connects the islands of Samar and Leyte.
- The Marcelo Fernan Bridge is another important bridge in Cebu, connecting Mactan Island to the mainland.
Turkey
Turkey has unique bridges that connect continents, as it sits between Europe and Asia.
- The Bosphorus Bridge and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge in Istanbul are special because they connect the continents of Asia and Europe!
- The Çanakkale 1915 Bridge, also known as the Dardanelles Bridge, is one of the longest suspension bridges in the world.
- The Severan Bridge is an ancient Roman bridge, showing how long bridges have been built.
Vietnam
Vietnam features many modern bridges, especially in its growing cities.
- The Dragon Bridge in Da Nang is famous for its dragon design and for breathing fire and water on weekends!
- The Mỹ Thuận Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge that crosses the Mekong River.
Europe
Europe has a rich history of bridge building, from ancient Roman structures to impressive modern designs.
Denmark
Denmark has many bridges that connect its islands.
- The Great Belt Bridge is one of the longest suspension bridges in the world. It connects two major Danish islands, Zealand and Funen.
- The Øresund Bridge is unique because it connects Copenhagen, Denmark, to Malmö, Sweden, linking two countries!
Germany
Germany has a variety of bridges, including historic ones and modern viaducts.
- The Blue Wonder (or Loschwitz Bridge) in Dresden is a historic cantilever bridge.
- The Göltzsch Viaduct is a massive railway bridge, one of the largest brick bridges in the world.
- The Ludendorff Bridge, also known as the Bridge at Remagen, was a famous bridge during World War II.
Italy
Italy is known for its beautiful and historic bridges, especially in cities like Venice and Florence.
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- The Rialto Bridge in Venice is a famous stone arch bridge that crosses the Grand Canal.
- The Ponte Vecchio in Florence is a medieval stone bridge known for the shops built along it.
- The Bridge of Sighs in Venice is an enclosed bridge connecting a prison to an interrogation room.
Netherlands
The Netherlands, with its many canals and rivers, has a wide variety of bridges.
- The Erasmusbrug in Rotterdam is a modern cable-stayed bridge, often called "The Swan" because of its shape.
- The Magere Brug (Skinny Bridge) in Amsterdam is a charming wooden drawbridge.
- The Slauerhoffbrug in Leeuwarden is a unique "flying" drawbridge that lifts a section of road into the air.
Portugal
Portugal has some impressive bridges, including one of the longest in Europe.
- The 25 de Abril Bridge in Lisbon looks a lot like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
- The Vasco da Gama Bridge, also in Lisbon, is the longest bridge in Europe, stretching over 17 kilometers (about 10.5 miles)!
United Kingdom
The UK has many famous bridges, from historic railway viaducts to iconic city crossings.
- The Tower Bridge in London is one of the most recognizable bridges in the world, famous for its towers and bascule (opening) mechanism.
- The Forth Bridge in Scotland is a historic railway bridge and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its distinctive red cantilever design.
- The Millennium Bridge in London is a modern pedestrian bridge that crosses the River Thames.
North America
North America boasts some of the world's most iconic bridges, especially in the United States and Canada.
Canada
Canada has several impressive bridges, including one that connects an island to the mainland.
- The Confederation Bridge is the longest bridge in the world that crosses ice-covered water. It connects Prince Edward Island to mainland Canada.
- The Quebec Bridge is a large cantilever bridge that crosses the Saint Lawrence River.
Mexico
Mexico features some high and impressive bridges, often crossing deep canyons.
- The Baluarte Bridge is one of the highest cable-stayed bridges in the world, crossing a deep ravine.
- The Ojuela Bridge is a historic suspension bridge that was once used for mining.
- The Puente de la Unidad in Monterrey is a modern cable-stayed bridge known for its unique design.
Panama
Panama is famous for its bridges that cross the important Panama Canal.
- The Bridge of the Americas was the first permanent bridge to cross the Panama Canal, connecting North and South America.
- The Centennial Bridge is another major bridge over the canal.
- The Third Bridge over Panama Canal is the newest addition, helping ships pass through the canal.
United States
The United States is home to many world-famous bridges.
- The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is one of the most famous bridges globally, known for its distinctive orange color and stunning location.
- The Brooklyn Bridge in New York City is a historic and iconic suspension bridge, connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn.
- The George Washington Bridge in New York City is one of the busiest bridges in the world.
- The Seven Mile Bridge in Florida is a very long bridge that is part of the Overseas Highway, connecting islands in the Florida Keys.
South America
South America has many important bridges, often crossing wide rivers and connecting countries.
Argentina
Argentina has several large bridges, including those that connect to neighboring countries.
- The Puente de la Mujer (Woman's Bridge) in Buenos Aires is a modern, rotating pedestrian bridge.
- The Zárate–Brazo Largo Bridge is a major complex of two cable-stayed bridges that are vital for transportation.
Brazil
Brazil features some very long and impressive bridges.
- The Rio-Niterói Bridge is a very long box girder bridge that crosses Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro.
- The Juscelino Kubitschek bridge in Brasília is known for its unique and beautiful architectural design.
Suriname
Suriname has important bridges that help connect its regions.
- The Jules Wijdenbosch Bridge crosses the Suriname River, connecting the capital city of Paramaribo with Meerzorg.
Venezuela
Venezuela has some large and important bridges.
- The General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge crosses Lake Maracaibo. It's a very long cable-stayed bridge.
- The Angostura Bridge crosses the Orinoco River, one of South America's longest rivers.
Oceania
Oceania, particularly Australia and New Zealand, has many significant bridges, including iconic harbor crossings.
Australia
Australia has many famous bridges, especially in its major cities.
- The Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of the most famous landmarks in Australia. It's a massive steel arch bridge often called "The Coathanger."
- The Anzac Bridge in Sydney is a modern cable-stayed bridge.
- The Story Bridge in Brisbane is a heritage-listed cantilever bridge.
- The West Gate Bridge in Melbourne is a large cable-stayed bridge that crosses the Yarra River.
New Zealand
New Zealand has important bridges that connect its cities and regions.
- The Auckland Harbour Bridge is a major landmark in Auckland, connecting the city center with the North Shore.
- The Bridge to Nowhere is a unique bridge in a remote part of the country, leading to nowhere in particular, but it's a popular tourist spot.
Lists of bridges by type
- List of bridge types
- Lists of covered bridges
- List of road–rail bridges
Lists of bridges by measurement
- List of highest bridges
- List of longest bridges
- List of tallest bridges
Images for kids
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Raja Bhoj Setu in Bhopal
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Burdwan Hanging Railway Bridge
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New Taipei Bridge
