most unique bridges in the world

Elegance is the best word to describe this bridge. Located in Paris, construction started in 1896 and finished in 1900. It was built in the Art Nouveau style and is decorated with statues of nymphs, cherubs, winged horses, angels, ships and vintage lamps along its sides to create one of most decorated bridges in the world. Despite being French, it is named after Alexander the 3rd, Emperor of Russia, to honor the Franco Russian alliance. Alexander s son, Nicholas the 2nd, laid the first stone during the start of the construction. The statues gleaming in gold, bronze, copper and stone compliment the Parisian style of the bridge.

Ponte Vecchio is a medieval bridge, found in the city of Florence crossing over the Arno river and is so ancient that it dates back to the Roman times. Destroyed by a flood in 1333, it was rebuilt in 1345 by Taddeo Gaddi. In 1565 Giorgio Vasar was commissioned to upgrade the bridge, adding an upper corridor above it. This bridge is famous for the fact that houses are positioned along its span, some of them prodding out to the side. Initially, however, they were workshops where shopkeepers such as butchers and tanners practiced their trades. In 1593 they were replaced with goldsmiths, because the shops produced too much garbage and caused a foul stench. The Ponte Vecchio was the only bridge in Florence that survived WWII unscathed and it was the only bridge spared by the Germans during the siege in Italy.

From one historical landmark to another, this time we head to Europe, England to be exact. In the 19th century, London Bridge was the only way of crossing the Thames river. As London grew, more bridges were added on the west side of London Bridge. The east side however become a busy port and it quickly became apparent that a new bridge was needed. Planning started in 1884 when a design was chosen from over 50 submissions. It took 8 years, 432 workers, and over 11,000 tons of steel to build what we know now as Tower Bridge. The Prince of Wales opened the bridge in 1894 and It helped relieve the stress of the east side. The bridge would become one of the worlds most recognized bridges due to it s iconic design. It has 2 towers at the ends of each bank. The middle section of the bridge can raise up and down, to let ships sail past, which is done with the use of hydraulics. The bridge is not only an icon of London, but to the whole of the U.K.

Probably one of the most famous bridges in the world, the Golden Gate Bridge has become an icon not only to San Francisco but to the whole of the United States. Designed by engineer Joseph Strauss, it was built to connect San Francisco with Marin County and to cross the strait known as the Golden Gate, giving it it s name. Starting in 1933, it would take thousands of workers, 4 years, and 35 million dollars to complete. When the bridge was completed in 1937, it broke 2 records becoming the world s longest and tallest suspension bridge. It received international recognition, had magnificent views of the Pacific Ocean, defied critics, and was praised for it s Art Deco design and trademark red color. The bridge s records would soon be broken in the future (refer to number 18) but it still keeps its popularity and iconic status to this day.

From the vintage to the modern, this really awesome bridge is found in Seoul and crosses the Han river. The bridge itself was actually created in 1982 but in 2007 a project was launched to revive the area in 2009 the project did just that. The Koreans had the amazing idea of adding fountains across both sides. During the day, the fountain shoots 190 tons of water per minute from each side of the bridge from its 380 nozzles. At night the color of the fountain will be transformed to a rainbow by the 10,000 LED lights which create various colorful effects. The water jets are dynamic and can move in time with the music, creating spectacular ever changing displays. As well as being stylish, the bridge is also environmentally friendly and the water is pumped directly from the river itself and continuously recycled. In 2008 the fountain made it into the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest bridge fountain. This bridge is not only a triumph to Korea, but to architecture as well.

Though it looks more like a theme park ride, this gold colored dragon is actually a six lane highway in Da Nang, Vietnam. Every night, the Dragon Bridge lights up with more than 2,000 LED lights and actually breathes fire. Designed by American architecture firm The Louis Berger Group, it s a functional form of entertainment with truly spectacular displays.

A fantastic nighttime spectacle, the spiral Nanpu Bridge crosses Shanghai s Huangpu River to connect the old city with the neighboring Pudong area. The circular design serves to reduce land use and meter cars approach to the high bridge.

Designed to be made out of used shipping containers, the soon to be built Econtainer Bridge will connect Israel s Route 461 to Ariel Sharon Park. The park itself emphasizes harmony between urban lifestyles and ecology so naturally, this sustainable design won the contest to become the gateway to the park. Perfect for pedestrians, bikers and shuttles, the modular bridge will span 525 feet with plenty of space for folks to admire the scenery. And if that wasn t impressive enough for nature lovers, the bridge will also feature photovoltaic solar cells which will illuminate the bridge and the surrounding area.