Bridges are divided according to the places they pass through into bridges themselves (bridges carry vehicles and people across rivers, lakes, swamps, straits and other bodies of water), overpasses (they are built over another road) and viaducts (they are built over a ravine, gorge, hollow etc.). Each of these types of bridges has its own “record holders” - bridges with the longest length. You can find out about the longest bridges on the planet in this top 10 largest bridges in the world.
10 Runyang Bridge
The length of this bridge is 35.66 km. It is located in China, in the Jiangsu province. The bridge stretches from the city of Zhenjiang to the city of Yangzhou, which are located on different banks of the Yangtze River. The Zhunyang Bridge opened shortly before May 1, 2005. This road bridge, which is part of the Beijing-Shanghai Expressway, has 6 lanes.
9 Hangzhou Bay Bridge
This bridge is 35.673 km long. This bridge is also called the Great Transoceanic Bridge over the Hangzhou Bay. The bridge is located in China and connects two cities: Shanghai and Ningbo. The Hangzhou Bay Bridge is the longest transoceanic bridge in the world. The bridge opened on May 1, 2008. Traffic on this road bridge is possible in two directions. There are three lanes on each side. Halfway across the bridge there is an island platform. It houses a service center where drivers and passengers have the opportunity to relax, refresh themselves and take advantage of a variety of services.
8 Yangcun Bridge
The Yangcun Bridge is 35.812 km long. The bridge is located in China and is part of the high-speed railway connecting Beijing with Tianjin. This bridge was opened in 2008 and is the longest flyover bridge in China.
7 Menchek Swamp Bridge
The length of this bridge is 36,710 km. The Manchek Swamp Bridge is located in the USA, in Louisiana. The bridge was built in 1979 as part of the Louisiana Turnpike. The Menchek Swamp Bridge allows vehicles to pass over the marshy area. Since the soil on which the bridge was built was quite unstable, the piles had to be driven to a depth of 75 m or deeper.
6 Causeway Bridge over Lake Pontchartrain
This bridge stretches over a length of 38.422 km. This bridge is also called the bridge between Mandeville and Metairie - this is the name of the cities located on different shores of Lake Pontchartrain and connected by this bridge. The dam bridge across Lake Pontchartrain is located in the USA, in Louisiana. This bridge is supported by more than 9,000 concrete piles. This bridge was built in 1969.
5 Qingdao Bay Bridge
This bridge is 42.5 km long. Qingdao Bay Bridge is located in China. The bridge is located in the northern part of Jiaozhou Bay and stretches from the city of Qingdao to the suburban industrial area of Huangdao. The bridge was opened in 2011. This road bridge has 6 lanes.
4 Bang Na Highway
This road bridge stretches for a length of 54 km. The Bang Na Highway is located in Bangkok, Thailand. This bridge is an overhead bridge-type structure. The bridge helps relieve traffic jams when entering the city. The Bang Na highway has three lanes in each direction. In order to travel on the Bang Na highway, you need to pay, but travel on the surface road is free. This bridge was opened on February 7, 2000.
3 Bridge over Wei
The length of the railway bridge over the Wei is impressive - 79.732 km. It is located in China and connects the cities of Zhengzhou and Xi'an. The Wei Bridge is part of the Zhengzhou High Speed Rail Line. The bridge crosses the Wei River twice and also crosses other rivers, railways and roads. The Wei Bridge opened on 6 February 2010.
The length of this railway bridge is 164.8 km. The Danyang-Kunshan Viaduct is located in China and is part of the Beijing-Shanghai High Speed Railway. This bridge opened on June 30, 2011. About 9 km of the Danyang-Kunshan Viaduct is laid over the water surface. The largest body of water that is crossed by this bridge is Yangcheng Lake.
There are other interesting bridges. They stand out among similar structures not by their length, but by some other qualities, for example, width (Blue Bridge in Russia, in St. Petersburg) or unusual appearance(Banpo fountain bridge in the Republic of Korea, in Seoul).
We welcome you again to the pages of our website “Me and the World”! Bridges stretch over water, over land, over abyss. Today we will tell you which is the longest bridge in the world.
When 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 in reality.
In 1st place is the 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 train travels on land. 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 goes to Great Tianjin - 113,700 m
This structure continues the high-speed railway line between the cities of Beijing and Shanghai, and was also built in China.
In 3rd place - Bridge over Wei - 79,700 m
Again the Chinese railway bridge. It connects the banks of the Wei River and crosses it twice. Trains began traveling along it in 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 to be a bridge because it passes over the ground. The automobile giant is located in Thailand and took 5 years to build. Serious traffic jams convinced the authorities to build this highway and invest more than a billion dollars in it. And although the highway is toll, many motorists and tourists try to drive along it, avoiding traffic jams and admiring the surrounding views.
Middle of the ranking – Qingdao – 42,500 m
The largest automotive project across the water. The entire 42.5 km of the Qingdao Bridge goes over the bay. It took 4 years to build, and during this time it cost 10 billion dollars. Every day, up to 30,000 cars pass on the road, and only half an hour of time is saved. Some are surprised: why was it necessary to spend so much money from the budget to save 30 minutes?
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 goes to the Hangzhou Bay Bridge - 35,673 m
One of the most beautiful in the world is located in China. Overwater, passing along the Pacific Gulf. The structure is built in the shape of the letter S. Driving through the structure, motorists reduce the distance by 120 km. On the six-lane road you can drive at a speed of 100 km/h. The shelf life is set at 100 years and then the structure will be reconstructed.
In 8th place is the 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 was laid mainly through marshy areas, and every 25 km it was necessary to make concrete pads for supports, and they are expensive. The highest speed of a train 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 goes to the Bridge-Tunnel, which runs across the Chesapeake Bay - 28,140 m
A very interesting building that becomes underwater tunnel. Great idea to ride underwater. The building took 35 years to build. The cost to cross the bridge is $12.00 per toll. The cars ride on the surface for some time, and then “go” down into a tunnel under water so that ships can freely sail through the structure.
And the list ends with the 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 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 arched one was built in Shanghai, more than 3.5 km long and about 45 m high
The longest glass curtain wall is again in China with a length of 488 m and a width of 2 m
The structure connects two rocks, and its weight reached 70 tons. When tourists approach the center, it sways slightly. How great this is, but also scary! 500 people can step on it at the same time.
The longest pedestrian cableway runs over the Akhshtyrsky Gorge in Sochi. Length – 439 m and it stretches at an altitude of 207 m
The length of the longest in Europe is 17 km - Vasco da Gama
The structure is quite beautiful and passes over a very clean waters. It was built in just a year and a half and was ready for the 500th anniversary of the opening of the route from Europe to India.
In Russia, a long cable-stayed one was built in Vladivostok 3100 m
It is about 29 m wide and weighs 23,000 tons. High pylons rise up to 324 m. Another large cable-stayed one is located in St. Petersburg across the Neva River. It is permanent 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. For 19 km, a road and railway will run side by side from the Taman Peninsula to the coast of Crimea through the sea strait. Opening of the Crimean Bridge: .
We shared information about the longest and most unusual bridges in the world, crossing the sea, land, suspension and railway. Share information with friends on in social networks and see you on the pages of our website!
In this collection you will get acquainted with the largest bridges in the world. But this will not be a simple comparison of length, area or height. Every year more and more new bridges are built, higher, longer and more unusual, so here I will talk about record-breaking bridges, since each of them at one time was the longest, largest, highest, or original. All the buildings on this list will stand out in some way, which is why they are worth paying attention to. I ask you to take part in the discussions, express your point of view and supplement the selection with buildings that you think are interesting.
1. We will start with the longest one this moment road bridge - Hangzhou in China. This is the longest bridge crossing the ocean - its length is 36 kilometers. You can commit virtual walk for Hangzhou via the link above. In the coming years, bridges will be built that will break the record of this bridge, but it will forever remain one of the longest and largest structures of its kind. 
2. The tallest at the moment is the Millot Viaduct (Millo) in France. Its height is 343 meters, Millau also holds the record for having the highest pillars in the world, as well as the most high towers bridge in the world 
3. No less legendary bridge - the Golden Gate in San Francisco. For a long time (almost three decades) it was the largest suspension bridge in the world. He also holds the sad record for suicides. Almost every month some madman jumps into the water from it 
People learned to build bridges in ancient times. The main purpose of an engineering structure is to be able to cross a water obstacle: a swamp, a lake, a strait, a river. The prototype of a bridge in ancient times was a tree trunk, which was thrown from one bank to the other in order to cross.
Modern bridges are strong, reliable and beautiful, although over time the latter quality becomes an exception. Let's look at record-breaking structures of this type and find out what their size is.
TOP 5 largest bridges in the world by height
All bridges in the world are divided into several categories depending on their capacity and purpose. In addition to the railway, pedestrian, automobile and combined ones known to us, there are:
- overpasses (bridges over roads);
- aqueducts (to transfer water from one point to another);
- viaducts (for movement across gorges).
Let's consider the most big bridges in the world in height, their photo and purpose.
Duge across the Sydukhe River
The world's highest bridge was opened in 2016 in China and amazed not only with its size, but also with its technical component. The first supporting cables were thrown across the gorge using rockets. It should be noted that the structure is located in a mountainous area; workers dug a tunnel through the rock.
The Duge Bridge is today the tallest in the world
The length of the roadway is 1.222 kilometers, the height of the bridge is 496 meters. It is part of the route connecting Chongqing and Shanghai.
Puli road bridge
Completed in 2015, the structure crosses the river and canyon of the same name in China. The hanging structure has 4 lanes. The height of the canvas above the cliff is 485 meters. Each tower support rises 154 meters above the cliff.
China surpasses all countries in the world in the number of bridges built annually
The third highest bridge in the world is located on the Tarn River in the south of France. Today, the viaduct is passed by all travelers on the way from Baziers to Paris via Clermont-Ferrand. Built in 2004, the architectural project was developed by the English company Foster & Partners.
There is a magnificent view from here
The bridge is named so because of its proximity to the town of Millau. The height of the structure is 343 meters, it is a structure with 8 spans supported by 7 columns made of steel and concrete. French viaduct – cable-stayed bridge, the roadway is held in place by steel cables. Traffic on the highway is carried out in two lanes in each direction. The length of the canvas is 2.46 kilometers, weight is 36,000 tons, it seems to be floating in the clouds.
Russian Bridge
A cable-stayed structure located in Vladivostok, connecting Russky Island and the Nazimov Peninsula. Construction began 4 years before the APEC summit and was timed to coincide with this event.
Night illumination of the Russian Bridge
Important! The bridge is unique in its technical specifications and is important for the development of eastern Russia. Today his image can be seen on the new 2000 ruble banknote.
The height of the pylons is 324 meters, the length of the road surface is 1885.5 meters. The structure is brightly illuminated at night; the lighting work was carried out by MT Electro. The record length of the flight is 1,104 km.
Sutong via Yangtze
The Chinese Yangtze Delta Bridge is one of the largest cable-stayed structures in the world. In terms of span length (1,088 km), it is second only to the Russian Bridge in Vladivostok. Located in Suzhou city district.
One of the largest bridges in the world - Sutun
It has 7 spans connected by pylons, the height of each of them is 306 meters. The official opening took place in 2008.
TOP 5 bridges by length
The length of the bridge deck also matters. Currently in the world it is possible to build an architectural giant not only across the river, but also across the strait, if the structure of the seabed allows this. Examples of such structures:
- The Crimean Bridge across the Kerch Strait, a 19-kilometer-long railway and road bridge, allows ships to pass from the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov and back (the railway part will be opened in 2019).
- The Hangzhou Bay Bridge in China, 35.67 kilometers long, is the longest transoceanic architectural project, thanks to which the route from Shanghai to Ningbo was shortened by 160 km.
Largest transoceanic bridge
But there are structures in the world that are longer than those listed above.
Danyang-Kunshan Viaduct
This structure is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest bridge in China and the world in terms of length. The total length is 164.8 kilometers. Construction took less than three years, which also became a kind of record.
View of the Danyang-Kunshan Viaduct from the shore
The viaduct is designed for the movement of high-speed trains. The route connects the cities of Nanjing and Shanghai. The approximate cost of construction was about $10 billion. The longest bridge in the world crosses several reservoirs, ravines, and highways.
Zhanghua-Kaohsiung
It is part of the Taiwan railway line, along which high-speed trains travel daily. It ranks second in the world in terms of length - 157.3 kilometers. Officially opened in 2007, 5 years later it carried more than 200 million passengers annually.
The Taiwanese viaduct is unremarkable, but it is earthquake-resistant and reliable
The island of Taiwan is located in an earthquake-prone area, so the viaduct is designed in such a way that during strong tremors the train can stop and wait for further instructions.
Tianjin Viaduct
Railway bridge on the way from Beijing to Shanghai. It meets modern safety requirements, since traffic passes through this section high-speed train, moving at a speed of over 300 kilometers per hour. Opened in 2010, length – 114 m.
Tianjin Viaduct
Chanday Viaduct
Express Railway from Beijing to Shanghai required the implementation of complex projects. One of them is the Chandei crossing with a length of 105.8 kilometers. The design took into account the fact of seismic hazard in the region. The viaduct can withstand vibrations of up to 9 points.
Changde is one of the most reliable bridges in the world
Akashi-Kaikyo
Japan is an island state where they know how to build not only durable, but also beautiful crossings. One of them crosses the Akashi Strait between the islands of Honshu and Awaji. Built in 1998. Akashi-Kaikyo – suspension bridge, for its construction, different technologies were used than with the cable-stayed ones described above.
Akashi is a suspension bridge, its design was revised during construction due to the displacement of supports during an earthquake
The Akashi Strait is a difficult area with frequent storms. The design solved the problem of moving the population by car. Cables were stretched between the two pylons, to which the road surface was attached. It is noteworthy that during the construction process it suffered a strong earthquake.
The largest bridges in Russia
The vast territory of Russia is in dire need of bridge structures. This is especially true for the regions of Siberia and Far East, where people sometimes have to wait until winter to cross the ice to the other side. Building bridges is a technically complex and expensive task. Let's consider projects that were implemented in addition to those included in the TOP 10. These bridges are considered the largest in the country.
Presidential (Ulyanovsk)
The project for a bridge across the Volga was first presented back in Soviet times, and construction began in 1986. During a difficult period for the state, it either stopped or resumed. The Presidential building was put into operation in the fall of 2009.
Ulyanovsk is proud of its modern bridges across the Volga
Length – 5825, width – 25 meters. Consists of 24 spans and two tiers. The lower one was laid out for tram traffic, but at present the project has not been implemented. Bored piles were used here for the first time as a foundation.
Low-water through the Amur Bay (Vladivostok)
It has a total length of 4364 meters, it connected the Muravyov-Amursky and De Vries peninsulas. Cars are allowed to speed up to 90 km/h in 4 lanes. The building was opened in 2012 and dedicated to the APEC summit held in Vladivostok.
Thanks to the APEC summit in Vladivostok, 2 modern bridges were built
It was built simultaneously with the Russian Bridge and has 80 spans.
Zheleznodorozhny via Yuribey (Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug)
In 2009, a unique bridge was opened across the Yuribey River in the Arctic Circle. This unique structure has no analogues in the world. During construction, the fact that after the snow melts the river floods was taken into account. The length of the canvas was 3893 meters.
Bridge over Yuribey in winter
It stands on high stilts; no soil filling method was used during the work, which made it possible to preserve the river ecosystem. It is noteworthy that a heavier structure was approved on paper, which had to be lightened to adapt to the risks of the bearing capacity of the soil.
Khabarovsky (Khabarovsk)
Two-tier complex design with rich history. It was opened in 1916. Parts of the “Amur Miracle,” as it is popularly called, were delivered from Europe via Odessa and Vladivostok. The launch of traffic completed the construction phase of the Trans-Siberian Railway.
Khabarovsk Bridge is one of the oldest in Russia, it has been completely reconstructed
In the 90s reconstruction was carried out, allowing the Amur Miracle to be used again. This is a combined passage along which cars and trains move, with a length of 3890.5 meters.
Bolshoi Obukhovsky (St. Petersburg)
We are accustomed to thinking that all bridges in St. Petersburg are drawbridges. This is wrong. Obukhovsky is the longest crossing over the Neva, which is not separated. The cable-stayed structure has a length of 2884 meters (the main span is 382 m). Connects Oktyabrskaya Embankment with Obukhovskaya Defense Avenue.
The first fixed bridge of St. Petersburg
Bolshoi Obukhovsky is a modern building; in appearance it resembles the Russian one in Vladivostok. At night it is beautifully illuminated.
The largest bridges in Moscow
The rivers and canals of Moscow are the decoration of the capital. Dozens of bridges, viaducts and overpasses are laid across them. All of them are not giants, but they deserve attention.
Luzhnetsky metro bridge
An arched two-tier metro bridge crosses the Moscow River and connects two important parts of the capital: Luzhniki with Sparrow Hills. Opened in 2002 on the site of an old one that had fallen into disrepair.
Vorobyovy Gory station on Luzhnetsky Bridge
The main span is 108, the total length is 2030 meters. In the lower tier of the metro bridge there is the Vorobyovy Gory station, unique in that it is located above the water.
Picturesque
A combined cable-stayed pedestrian and automobile bridge, the most recognizable in the capital. Crosses the Moscow River and is considered the highest in Europe. The total length of the roadway is 1460, the main span is 410 meters.
One of the most recognizable bridges in the capital
The height of the building is 105 m, it has a hinged arch, the elements of which are attached to each other and not to the supports. It has observation deck.
Dorogomilovsky
The road double-arch type of construction, 790 meters long, is included in the Third Transport Ring. Previously, the Smolensky railway bridge was located in its place. Built in 1999
View of Dorogomilovsky Bridge
The upper tier is an 8-lane road that is currently actively used. The lower tier was designed for the expressway between Vnukovo and Sheremetyevo airports, but is not open.
The largest bridges in Europe
Europe can boast of projects of large viaducts and bridges. If we take into account that the border between Asia and Europe is usually divided here differently than in our country, it turns out that Russian crossings of rivers and straits are not taken into account.
Vasco da Gama (Lisbon)
Portuguese construction across the largest river of the Iberian Peninsula, the Tagus. The cable-stayed structure here turns into a viaduct, the total length of the structure is 12.3 kilometers.
A grandiose Portuguese project - the Vasco da Gama Bridge
The grand opening took place in 1998 and was timed to coincide with the Expo 98 exhibition in Lisbon. Car traffic is carried out in 6 lanes, the width of the main span is 420 meters.
European (Switzerland)
The longest pedestrian bridge Europe opened in Swiss Alps in 2017. The hanging structure connects the villages of Grächen and Zermatt via the Grabenhufer Pass.
Largest pedestrian bridge in the world
The height above the ground is 80 m; those who want to cross to the other side must overcome 494 meters. The view from here is beautiful.
The largest drawbridges
For the passage of ships into the port, movable structures are built. They are unique and elegant. Tourists from all over the world come to watch the divorce process.
Palace (St. Petersburg)
The building was opened in 1916 and received its name from the nearby Winter Palace. During the establishment of Soviet power in the country, it was called Republican.
The Palace Bridge is depicted on most postcards of St. Petersburg
The length is 250 meters; previously, a floating wooden structure called St. Isaac’s was erected on this site.
Tower (London)
The landmark of London, built in 1894, allows you to quickly cross the Thames. The elegant design is made in the form of two towers with a central span rising at an angle of 83°. The length from one bank to the other is 244 m.
The most recognizable bridge in the world
After opening the doors, pedestrians can continue moving.
Slauerhoff (Leeuwarden)
The unique design was built in 2000 in the Netherlands. Bears the name of the famous Dutch poet, looks like a catapult. When ships approach, a square metal platform opens and lets them through.
The most unusual drawbridge in the world
conclusions
- The largest bridge in height is located in China on the Siduhe River, in length - also in China, but connects the cities of Nanjing and Shanghai, it is designed for train traffic (Danyang-Kunshan Viaduct).
- The largest bridges in Russia: Crimean, Russian and Presidential. All of them are modern designs.
- The longest bridge in Europe is located in Lisbon and is named after Vasco da Gama.
- The largest drawbridge in the world is the Palace Bridge.
