Famous Bridges of the World: A Complete Guide

Meet the landmark bridges that represent countries around the world.

Golden Gate Bridge

Location: San Francisco, USA. The world's longest suspension bridge when it opened in 1937, notable for its deep orange "International Orange" paint color, chosen specifically to stay visible in the area's frequent fog.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Location: Sydney, Australia. Famous for its massive steel arch structure, nicknamed "The Coathanger" locally for its resemblance to one.

Tower Bridge

Location: London, UK. A bascule bridge whose middle section lifts upward to let large ships pass — often mistaken for "London Bridge," which is actually a separate, much plainer bridge nearby.

Brooklyn Bridge

Location: New York, USA. Completed in 1883 to connect Manhattan and Brooklyn, it was the world's longest suspension bridge at the time and remains a beloved New York City landmark today.

Akashi Kaikyō Bridge

Location: between Kobe and Awaji Island, Japan. Held the record for the world's longest suspension bridge central span (about 1,991 m) at the time of its completion, built with earthquake-resistant design suited to Japan's seismically active environment.

Pont du Gard

Location: France. An ancient Roman aqueduct bridge (built to carry water) that has remained remarkably well preserved even after roughly 2,000 years, and is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Millennium Bridge

Location: London, UK. Earned the nickname "Wobbly Bridge" after pedestrians walking across it shortly after its 2000 opening caused it to sway noticeably — the bridge was temporarily closed for reinforcement as a result.

Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge

Location: connecting Hong Kong, Zhuhai, and Macau, China. A massive roughly 55 km structure combining bridges and an undersea tunnel, widely noted as the world's longest sea-crossing bridge system when it opened in 2018.

How Do Bridges Stay Standing?

Bridges are broadly categorized by their structural method. Arch bridges use a curved structure to distribute force; suspension bridges hang the deck from thick cables; and cable-stayed bridges balance forces using cables that run directly from towers to the deck.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the Golden Gate Bridge orange instead of red?

It actually uses a deep orange color officially called "International Orange," chosen specifically to remain easily visible to ships and aircraft pilots even in San Francisco's frequent fog.

Is it dangerous when a bridge sways?

As the Millennium Bridge case showed, a large crowd walking in a similar rhythm can trigger a resonance effect that amplifies swaying — when this kind of issue is identified, it's typically resolved safely through reinforcement work.