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Because of the durability of the materials, the oldest bridges still standing today were generally made from stone or brick. Earlier than 200 B. C. E., Greek and Etruscan architects, who had been summoned to construct the bridges of Ancient Rome, built segmented, semicircular arches to support the initial structures. This technique allowed the construction of much longer bridges, while strengthening the structure and permitting a less-obstructed flow of water below the passage in the event of a flood. Most Roman bridges, particularly aqueducts, were built based on this principle of multiple arches.

At the end of the 18^th and beginning of the 19^th century, engineers like Thomas Telford, Isambard Kingdom Brunel and John Rennie continued to use arches of cut stone or brick in their modern bridges for the durability of the materials as well as their beauty and ability to blend in harmoniously with the surrounding landscape.

Pont-du-Gard

Location: near Nîmes, Languedoc-Roussillon, France. Crosses: Gardon River

Material and type: Arch bridge, stone, used as aqueduct, then road bridge, finally tourist attraction

Dimensions: length: 275 m, long span: 25.3 m, height: 47.7 m, width of channel: 1.2 m; slope: 0.19 m/km

Construction: 19 B. C. E.

The Pont-du-Gard is a Roman aqueduct that was constructed during the reign of Caesar Augustus in 19 B. C. E. Composed of three layers of arches, it has a total height of about 48 metres and measures 275 metres in length. It was intended to transport water from sources of the Eure and Airan rivers, near the town of Uzès, to the city of Nîmes. A masterpiece of Roman engineering, the bridge was constructed of cut stones, using neither mortar nor cement. The water pipe, so to speak, measures 1.2 metres wide and 1.6 metres high. The aqueduct crosses the river Gardon, situated at the bottom of a deep valley, and the principle arch that spans the river has an opening of 25.3 metres.

Pont Saint-Bénezet, also known as Pont d’Avignon

Location: Avignon, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, France. Crosses: Rhone River

Material and type: Fixed arch bridge, stone, road bridge

Dimensions: spans: 20, measuring 30.8 to 33.5 m each, total length: 900 m

Construction: 1171–1186, disused in 1680

Construction of the Pont Saint-Bénezet, better known as the Pont d’Avignon thanks to the popular song “Sur le Pont d’Avignon”, took place in the 12^th century. Tradition attributes the idea for the bridge to a young shepherd named Bénezet, who has been considered a ‘saint’ since the 13^th century, although he has never been officially canonised, contrary to the common belief that his canonisation indeed took place under Pope Innocent IV.

Of the nineteen arches that originally formed the bridge, unfortunately only four survive today, creating a particularly bold and picturesque impression. The elegant, exceptional chapel, built at the same time as the bridge between the third arch and the fourth arch, housed the tomb of ‘saint’ Bénezet. However, in the 17^th century, due to the deteriorated state of the bridge and the risks of the high water levels of the Rhone, the relics were removed first to a nearby Celestine monastery, then to the collegiate church of St. Didier of Avignon at the end of the 19^th century.

Ponte Vecchio

Location: Florence, Tuscany, Italy. Crosses: Arno River

Architect: Taddeo Gaddi or Neri di Fioravanti, according to the source

Material and type: Three arches bridge, in stone, used as a road bridge

Dimensions: longest span: 30 m, length of side spans: 27 m, height of arches: 3.9 to 4.4 m

Construction: 1335–1345

The Ponte Vecchio, originally constructed in wood by the Romans, is the oldest bridge in Florence and one of the oldest in Europe. It was reconstructed in stone in 1345 by Taddeo Gaddi (or Neri di Fioravanti; the identity of the architect is somewhat disputed) and hosted a variety of merchants who sold their goods from tables in front of their shops. This practice still occurs today, only the goods being sold having changed from food to clothing and gold jewellery.

Legend has it that the concept of bankruptcy originated at the Ponte Vecchio. The term was used when a vendor was deeply in debt, and his table (‘banca’) was broken, making it a ‘banca rotta’, broken table. Without a table on which to display his wares, he would be unable to continue his business.

Ponte dei Saraceni

Location: near Adrano, Tuscany, Italy. Crosses: Simeto River

Material and type: Arch bridge, stone. Construction: c. 10^th century

Pont Valentré

Location: Cahors, Midi-Pyrénées, France. Crosses: Lot River

Material and type: Fortified arch bridge, stone, used as a road bridge

Dimensions: length: 138 m (6 spans of 16.5 m each), width: 5 m, height of towers: 40 m, height of arch: 8.7 m

Construction: 1308, opened 1350, completed after 1380

The Pont Valentré is one of the most beautiful and complete works inherited from the 14^th century. Its construction dates back to 1308. A fortified bridge crossing the Lot River, it connects the walls of Cahors. The city featured three other bridges built in a similar style, but the Pont Valentré remains the best preserved. It is composed of six principle arches, three square towers of three storeys each, containing scalloped staircases, and two small fortresses, one of which has almost disappeared today.

This bridge was nicknamed the ‘Devil’s Bridge’, due to a legend about its origins. According to the tale, the master-builder grew frustrated with delays in the construction and decided to make a pact with the Devil. Satan would help with the completion of the project, according to the architect’s instructions, and take possession of the craftsman’s soul once the work was done. If, however, the Devil failed to accomplish a task set to him by the builder, the pact would be broken.

Nearing the end of the project and in fear for his soul, the builder challenged the Devil to bring water for the last batch of mortar necessary to secure the final stones using nothing more than a sieve. The Devil could not perform the task and lost the bet. Out of revenge, the enraged demon broke stones off the northwest corner of the central tower, which was never completed.

Paul Gout restored the bridge at the end of the 19^th century, incorporating an effigy of the Devil onto the tower where stones were still missing.

Ponte Coperto

Location: Pavia, Lombardy, Italy. Crosses: Ticino River

Architects: Jacopo da Cossa and Giovanni da Ferrera

Material and type: Arch bridge, stone and brick

Dimensions: length: 216 m

Construction: 1354, reconstructed in 1949–1951

Originally constructed in 1354 and covered in the following century, the Ponte Coperto (‘covered bridge’) crosses the Ticino River and connects the old centre of Pavia with the Borgo Ticino neighbourhood on the river’s right bank. Unfortunately, the 14^th-century structure was irrevocably damaged by Allied bombardments during World War II, and part of it collapsed in 1947. In 1949, the bridge was rebuilt several metres downstream from the medieval structure, but according to the original model. When the water levels of the Ticino River are low, the ruins of the old bridge can still be seen.

Charles Bridge (Karluºv most)

Location: Prague, Czech Republic – Crosses: Vltava River

Architect: Peter Parler – Constructor: “Magister pontis” Jan Ottl

Material and type: Arch bridge, Bohemian sandstone, used as a road bridge

Dimensions: length: 516 m (16 arches 16.6 to 23.4 m long), width: 10 m

Construction: 1357–1380

The Charles Bridge (Karlùv most) over the Vltava, one of Europe’s icons and a masterpiece of Gothic architecture, connects Prague’s old centre with the Malá Strana quarter. Built under the reign of Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV in the 14^th century, the bridge was long attributed to architect Peter Parler; however, research led to the acknowledgment of a certain ‘Jan Ottl’ as the master-builder, a craftsman of whom we know nothing but his seal. A true symbol of the Czech capital and for a long time the city’s only bridge, the Charles Bridge features towers at either end that monitored access to the crossing.

Many legends surround the construction of the bridge. One of them claims that the foundation stone was laid on 9 July 1357 at 5:31 a.m.; this precise time would make the opening moment a sequence of odd numbers: 1–3–5–7–9–7–5–3–1 (1357–9–7–5:31). Another legend states that ground eggshells were mixed into the mortar to strengthen the binding between the stone blocks. Modern tests have actually confirmed the folktale.

In the 16^th and 17^th centuries the bridge was lined with thirty statues that still stand along its length. Each contributed by a different sculptor, most of the statues were crafted in the Baroque style and erected between 1683 and 1714. The oldest and perhaps the most interesting of the figures is of Czech saint John of Nepomuk. The statue dates from 1683 and was sculpted at the request of Jesuits in celebration of John of Nepomuk before the saint’s canonisation. In recent decades, the statues have been systematically replaced with replicas, and the originals are currently displayed in the Národní Muzeum.

Stari Most

Location: Mostar, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Crosses: Neretva River

Architect: Mimar Hajrudin, student of the Ottoman architect Sinan

Material and type: Fixed arch bridge, tenelija (local stone) and limestone, used as a road bridge

Dimensions: length: 28.7 m, width: 4 m, height: 19 m

Construction: 1557–1566, reconstructed between 2001 and 2004

A unique structure, the Stari Most (literally ‘old bridge’ in Bosnian) connects the two parts of the city of Mostar. Constructed by Mimar Hajrudin, student of the famous architect Sinan, it was commissioned by the Grand Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, who threatened the builder with death if he could not construct a bridge to correspond exactly with the topography of the space. When finished, the bridge, with a vault of 19 metres, width of 4 metres and total length of almost 30 metres, was the largest man-made arch in the world. At each end of the Stari Most, there is a tower dating from the 17^th century to guard the entrances to the bridge. The original bridge was destroyed on 9 November 1993 during the Bosnian War, and reconstruction began in 2001 and was completed in 2004 with the support and under the supervision of UNESCO.

Rialto Bridge

Location: Venice, Venezia, Italy. Crosses: Grand Canal

Architects: Antonio da Ponte and Antonio di Bernardino Contino

Material and type: Arch bridge, marble and stone of Istria, pedestrian bridge

Dimensions: longest span: 28.8 m, width: 22.9 m, arch height: 6.4

Construction: 1588–1591

The Rialto Bridge spanning Venice’s Grand Canal was built by Antonio da Ponte and Antonio di Bernardino Contino between 1588 and 1591. The bridge is 48 metres long and 23 metres wide, with a single marble arch measuring 29 metres at its opening, supported, if we believe Sansovino, by 12,000 pilings. Two rows of shops, flanked by sidewalks lined with decorative railings, fill the sides of the bridge.

The Rialto Bridge’s pure lines and rich ornamentation have enchanted generations of tourists and locals, and it is one of the most beautiful monuments in Venice. It is the oldest bridge crossing the Grand Canal. Originally, the only way to cross the Canal was by means of floating wooden pontoons, but the growing Rialto market dramatically increased traffic on the bridge, which had to be replaced in 1255 with a sturdier design.

However, the new structure, also made of wood, collapsed twice due to heavy use, once in 1444 and again in 1524, as a result of the ever-increasing frequenters of the market, leading to the discussion of a final reconstruction of the bridge in stone. Many famous architects – Jacopo Sansovino, Palladio, and Michelangelo, to name a few – were considered, but the design by Antonio da Ponte was chosen for its elegant simplicity and can be credited for the Rialto Bridge’s status as one of the most beautiful creations of the Renaissance.

Bridge of Sighs

Location: Venice, Venezia, Italy. Crosses: Rio di Palazzo

Architect: Antonio di Bernardino Contino

Material and type: Arch bridge, white limestone, pedestrian bridge

Dimensions: arch span: 11 m. Completed: 1600

The Bridge of Sighs connects the old prison of Venice to the Doge’s Palace. Work on the bridge having begun in the 16^th century, it was constructed by Antonio di Bernardino Contino, one of the architects responsible for the Rialto Bridge in the same city. Suspended over a straight canal, the bridge has often captured the imagination of poets and novelists. It owes its name to Lord Byron, who claimed that bridge afforded prisoners en route from the prison to the interrogation rooms in the Doge’s Palace their final view of Venice. Faced with this last image of liberty, the convicted people let out long sighs.

Bridge of Sighs

Location: Oxford, England, United Kingdom

Architect: Sir Thomas Jackson

Material and type: Covered arch bridge, stone, pedestrian bridge. Completed: 1914

Khaju Bridge or Baba Roknoddin Bridge

Location: Isfahan, Iran. Crosses: Zayandeh Rud

Commissioner: Shah Abbas II

Material and type: Arch bridge, stone and brick

Dimensions: length: 126.5 m, width: 11.7 m, arches: 24

Completed: 1650

Constructed during the reign of Shah Abbas II around 1650, the Khaju Bridge forms a slight semicircle. Large buttresses on each end bear the majority of the weight of the structure. With its confused tangle of arches, this bridge is a remarkable example of architecture. It is built on two levels and extends over 100 metres long, serving also as a dam.

In addition to its function as a bridge, the Khaju Bridge helps to regulate the flow of the Zayandeh Rud river and also acts as a sluice gate, collecting water on one side for irrigation and enabling it to run to a lower level. The lower arches contain gates that can be closed if necessary to raise the water level upstream.

The pavilion located at the centre of the bridge was built as a vantage point from which the shah could admire the landscape. Scattered remnants of stone benches and some original paintings and faiences have survived since the initial construction.

Jade-Belt Bridge

Location: Summer Palace, Beijing, China – Crosses: Kunming Lake

Material and type: Moon bridge, marble and white stone, pedestrian bridge – Construction: 1751–1764

Seventeen Arches Bridge or Shiqikonqiao

Location: Summer Palace, Beijing, China – Crosses: Kunming Lake,

Material and type: Moon bridge, stone, pedestrian bridge

Dimensions: length: 150 m, width: 8 m, arches: 17 – Construction: 1750

The bridge opposite is located in the gardens of the Summer Palace in Beijing, the former summer residence of the Chinese imperial family. It connects South Lake Island, one of three islands in the city’s lake, to the east bank. The longest stone bridge in the gardens, it has seventeen arches, a number chosen for its significance in Chinese numerology and Taoist philosophy. The number eight symbolises luck and wealth in Mandarin Chinese, and nine is an auspicious number for emperors, also bringing them good fortune. The railing is adorned with 544 stone lions, no two identical. Majestic, vigorous and protective against evil spirits, lions often adorn Chinese architecture and are considered guardians.

Puente Nuevo

Location: Málaga, Andalusia, Spain. Crosses: Guadalevín

Architects: José Martin de Aldehuela and Juan Antonio Díaz Machuca

Material and type: Arch bridge, stone, road bridge. Construction: 1759–1785

Tower Bridge

Location: London, England, United Kingdom. Crosses: River Thames

Architect: Sir Horace Jones – Engineers: Henry Marc Brunel and Sir John Wolfe Barry

Material and type: Bascule bridge, steel towers and deck, masonry veneers, road bridge

Dimensions: length: 286.5 m, longest span: 79 m

Construction: 1886–1894

In 1894, the United Kingdom’s Builder Magazine called the Tower Bridge ‘the most monstrous and preposterous architectural sham that we have ever known’. However, today this neo-Gothic structure is one of the most famous landmarks in London.

To construct the bridge, two enormous concrete piers were sunk into the riverbed as anchors. The Tower Bridge, whose central structure can be raised to permit the passage of boats, is connected to the banks of the River Thames by two suspended bridges. Although its frame was originally made from steel, the bridge was entirely covered in granite from Cornwall and stone from Portland to reinforce the construction.