Don’t Get Too Close To The Edge
Aside from functionality, bridges are an excellent way to see the world from a slightly different view. The tallest bridges in the world give you an even rarer glimpse at just how small we are when compared to our planet’s highest highs and lowest lows. If you’re afraid of heights, this article might not be for you.
1. Millau Viaduct
First opened in 2004, the Millau Viaduct is a cable-stayed bridge that’s located in Southern France. This bridge is considered the tallest in the world, with a structural height of 1,125 feet, or 343 meters. The bridge cost almost $425 million USD to create.
2. 1915 Çanakkale Bridge
This suspension bridge is located in northwestern Turkey and holds the title of the longest suspension bridge in the world. It spans just over 1.2 miles (2 km) and has a height of 1,096 feet, or 334 meters.
3. Pingtang Bridge
This futuristic-looking bridge first opened in Guizhou, China, in 2019. It’s a part of the Pingtang Luodian Expressway, stretching across the Caodu River valley. This bridge is the third-tallest in the world, standing at 1,089 feet, or 332 meters.
4. Husutong Yangtze River Bridge
This double-decker bridge is located in Jiangsu, China. Standing tall at 1,082 feet, or 330 meters, this bridge has a six-lane highway on its top level, and is the future location of the Tongsujiayong high-speed railway on the bottom. The bridge first opened in 2020 and is the easternmost railway crossing of the Yangtze River.
5. Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge
Also known as the Third Bosphorus Bridge, this marvel of Istanbul architecture first opened in 2016. It is an eight-lane highway that takes you 1,056 feet (322 m) over the Bosphorus Strait. The bridge is also part of the soon-to-be Northern Mamara Motorway, connecting more rural parts of Istanbul.
6. Russky Bridge
Standing tall at 1,049 feet (320 m), this cable-stayed bridge is located in Primorsky Krai, Russia. The bridge spans 3,622 feet (1,104 m), connecting Russky Island to the Amursky Peninsula. The bridge was built originally to service the 2012 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, which was hosted on the island.
Vyacheslav Bukharov on Wikimedia
7. Sutong Bridge
Located in the Jiangsu province of China, this bridge is another method of travelling the Yangtze River. This bridge is smaller than its sister, sitting at 1,004 feet, or 306 meters. That said, Sutong opened back in 2008, 12 years earlier than the most recent build. Sutong Bridge won the Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award in 2010.
8. Stonecutters Bridge
This Hong Kong-based bridge connects the cape of Nam Wan Kok to Stonecutters Island, spanning 5,236 feet (1,596 m) across the Rambler Channel. The bridge has a total height of 978 feet, or 298 meters, and is a part of Hong Kong’s Route 8. It was completed in April 2009.
9. Chishi Bridge
This bridge is a part of China’s G76 Xiamen-Chengdu Expressway, spanning 1,250 feet (381 m) over a valley of the Qingtou River. It is 125 feet (38 m) longer than the Millau Viaduct, but is only 938 ft (286 m) tall. After several delays during construction, the bridge officially opened to the public in 2016.
10. Akashi Kaikyö Bridge
This bridge links the Japanese city of Kobe and the Islands of Honshu and Awaji, spanning 6,532 feet, or 1,991 meters. The bridge is a part of the Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway, crossing over the Akashi Strait. It stands tall at 928 feet, or 282 meters, and was opened in 1998.
11. Yi Sun-Sin Bridge
This bridge spans 7,415 feet (2,260 m) across the South Jeolla Province in South Korea. It has a total height of 885 feet (270 m) and connects the city of Gwangyang with the island of Myodo-dong. It opened in 2012 and is named after a 16th-century admiral who built the world’s first ironclad warship.
12. Duge Bridge
Also known as the Beipanjiang Bridge, this four-lane expressway connects the provinces of Guizhou and Yunnan in China over a gorge of the Nizhu River. The bridge was the tallest in the world when it came to deck height, until it was surpassed by the Huajiang Canyon Bridge this year. The total height of the bridge is 883 feet, or 269 m.
13. Nansha Bridge
This dual-suspension bridge is located in Guangdong, China, spanning 42,923 ft (12,891 m) across the Pearl River. It opened in 2019 and is considered the beginning of the Guangzhou-Longchuan Expressway. The bridge connects the town of Dongguan to the Nansha District. The bridge has a total height of 876 feet, or 267 m.
14. Jingyue Bridge
This cable-stayed bridge connects the Hubei and Hunan Provinces of Central China. The six-lane highway spans 17,779 feet (5,419 m) over the Yangtze River and was opened in June 2010. The bridge’s height sits at 875 feet, or 265 meters.
15. Yachi River Bridge
Located in Guizhou, China, this cable-stayed bridge is one of the longest in the world, with a main span of 2,625 ft (800 m). The bridge crosses the Yachi River, connecting Qianxi County and the city of Guiyang. At its highest point, the bridge is 847 feet, or 258 meters, tall.
16. Yangsigang River Bridge
Located in Wuhan, China, this bridge also spans a section of the Yangtze River. It connects the Hanyang and Wuchang districts and has a little something for everyone. The upper deck has a six-lane highway, connecting to the urban expressway system and two pedestrian walkways. The lower deck also has two walkways, two lanes for non-motorized vehicles, and four lanes that connect to the city streets. The bridge stands tall at 836 feet, or 255 meters.
17. Great Belt Bridge
The Great Belt Bridge is located between the Danish islands of Zealand and Funen. It spans 22,277 feet (6,790 m) over the Great Belt strait, and consists of four traffic lanes and a railway tunnel. The bridge has a total height of 833 feet, or 254 meters.
Sendelbach (talk) on Wikimedia
18. Zhongzhou River Bridge
Completed in 2009, this bridge runs 7,133 feet (2,174 m) over the Yangtze River in Chongqing, China. Opened in 2009, this bridge is a valuable part of the G50 Shanghai-Chongqing Expressway. It stands tall at 810 feet, or 247 meters.
19. Liuguanghe Xiqian Expressway Bridge
This cable-stay bridge crosses the Yachi River between the Xiuwen and Qianxi counties of Guizhou, China. It has a total length of 4,200 feet (1,280 m) and a height of 803 feet (245 m). The bridge opened in 2017.
20. Jiujiang River Expressway Bridge
Also known as the Second Jiujiang Bridge, this piece of architecture also crosses the Yangtze River. It opened in 2013 and connects the Hubei and Jiangxi provinces. It consists of six lanes and is a part of the larger G70 Fuzhou-Yinchuan Expressway. This bridge has a total height of 794 feet, or 242 meters.
