Bridges are a necessary accompaniment to modern transportation since rivers and other bodies of water are so common on the planet. From the simplest log structure to the modern high-tech steel masterpiece, bridges have existed for eons and will continue to be improved and constructed in the years to come. Some of these utile structures have become more important and more significant than their basic purpose. Some have become icons of travel, important stops for any tourist.

   Here are some of the famous bridges that we have encountered in our travels. Certainly one of the most notable bridges in the world is the Golden Gate Bridge, at the entrance to San Francisco Bay.

Another significant American bridge is the Brooklyn Bridge, connecting Lower Manhattan with the borough of Brooklyn.

Redding, California, has one of the most unusual bridges in the world because it is a giant sundial.

The US is noted for its covered bridges, throwbacks to an older America. Some are still functioning today, like this one in New Hampshire.

 Another very special bridge is found in Shelburne Falls, MA. It is known as the Bridge of Flowers, for obvious reasons.

Europe contains some very old and very interesting bridges. Some of them are city signatures and others have historical significance.

    The Charles Bridge, in Prague, is one which is intimately associated with the city.

   The traditional view of the city includes this icon.

 London has its Millenium Bridge, a pedestrian walkway over the Thames River.

The village of Blois has a river over the Loire River that showcases its chateau.

The Chain Bridge, over the Danube River in Budapest, is a city landmark.

 The Arno River flows through Florence. It is spanned by several bridges, the most interesting of which is the Ponte Vecchio.

Venice has many bridges since the city is basically on a cluster of islands, but the most famous one is the Rialto Bridge, which, like the Ponte Vecchio above, is lined with shops.

Another noteworthy bridge in Venice is the Bridge of Sighs, which spans a small canal between the Doge’s Palace where justice was administered, to the prison where punishment was meted out.

In Spoleto, a Roman Bridge leads to the Rocca (Fortress)

Bridges abound in Amsterdam, a city of canals like Venice, but none of them is particularly famous.

There is also a Roman Bridge in Cordoba which is still in use.

The New Bridge in Ronda is a city icon. It spans the famous gorge that divides the city.

In Luzerne, the iconic Kapelbrucke spans the city’s river.

In China, many bridges have special significance.

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