The first bridges people began to build in the time of our era, connecting small settlements on the neighboring banks of the river. Gradually, the settlements grew to large cities, and after them the length of the bridge increased.
We collected 10 the longest bridges in Europetaking designs from different countries. That is why not all bridges of Russia will be here, since there are too many of them, and there are only 10 points.
The bridge over Yuribey, Khabarovsk bridge, Russian - they all have a length of more than 3 km and are also worthy of attention, but we will consider others in detail.
List
- 10. Rion Andirion, Greece | 2.88 km
- 9. Bolshoi Obukhov bridge, Russia | 2,884 km
- 8. Second Severn Bridge, UK | 5,128 km
- 7. Presidential bridge, Russia | 5.825 km
- 6. Greater Belt, Denmark | 6.79 km
- 5. Oresund Bridge, Sweden and Denmark | 7,845 km
- 4. Saratov bridge | 12.76 km
- 3. Bridge over Kama | 13,967 km
- 2. Vasco da Gama, Portugal | 17.2 km
- 1. Crimean bridge, Russia | 18.1 km
10. Rion Andirion, Greece | 2.88 km
Officially, it is called the Harilaos Trikupis Bridge, but outside of Greece it is better known as Ron Andirion.
Trikupis is a Greek politician who proposed the idea of building a bridge back in the 19th century. He sensibly reasoned that the cities of Rion and Andirion must be connected, but the country's economy was unstable in those years and no money was found for the construction.
This became possible only in the 1990s, when the project was again put forward for discussion in parliament.
The grand opening took place on August 7, 2004. In addition to the road for cars, the structure was equipped with pedestrian and bicycle paths.
Interesting fact: the Peloponnese peninsula, on which Andirion is located, is annually removed from mainland Greece by ~ 35 mm. During the construction of the bridge, this was taken into account and provided it with the opportunity to expand.
9. Bolshoi Obukhov bridge, Russia | 2,884 km
This bridge connects not cities, but areas: Obukhov Defense Avenue and October Embankment in St. Petersburg.
Opened in 2004, it became the first non-movable bridge across the Neva and the largest. If you look, it’s not even one, but two bridges that have the opposite direction of movement.
Unlike the Ron-Andirion, the Obukhov bridge is designed exclusively for cars: pedestrian traffic on it is prohibited.
8. Second Severn Bridge, UK | 5,128 km
The Severn River is the longest in the UK, extending over 354 kilometers. On its different shores are England and Wales, which the Second Severn Bridge connects.
Crossings existed at this place as early as the 18th century, and the decision to build a modern bridge was made in 1992.
The construction process took 4 years and it was put into operation on June 5, 1996. The opening was a high-profile event and even the Prince of Wales took part in it.
Curious fact: if you go from Wales to England, the road will be completely free, but a trip in the opposite direction costs money. The amount is indexed annually to match economic realities.
7. Presidential bridge, Russia | 5.825 km
The construction of the bridge that connects the right-bank and left-bank parts of Ulyanovsk began in the 80s.
The project was repeatedly redone, then the Soviet Union collapsed, so the work dragged on for 23 years. The total value for 2008 amounted to almost 38.5 billion rubles, which is approximately 14 billion more than the originally budgeted.
The first phase of the bridge was opened in 2009 with the participation of President Dmitry Medvedev, and after 2 years the second complex was opened.
Builders used advanced technologies and materials, trying to maximize the life of the structure. The estimate from this, of course, has grown, but the contractor guarantees safety.
6. Greater Belt, Denmark | 6.79 km
The Great Belt Bridge in Denmark connects the islands of Zeeland and Funen, crossing the Belt Strait.
Its construction began in 1988 and took 10 years, and the entire project cost almost 21.5 billion Danish kroner.
Before the bridge was put into operation, the ferry service operated, providing a flow of 8,000 vehicles daily, and with the bridge this number increased to 27,000.
In addition, travel time was reduced by more than an hour, which had a positive effect on trade between the eastern and western parts of the country.
Interesting fact: during the construction of flora and fauna, damage was caused that exceeded the indicators declared in the design documentation. This caused a small scandal: animal rights activists made a bunch of claims and threatened to sue the contractor, but later it turned out that nothing irreparable happened and the conflict came to naught.
5. Oresund Bridge, Sweden and Denmark | 7,845 km
The bridge that runs through the Öresund Strait and connects Copenhagen (Denmark) and Malmö (Sweden) is a whole complex.
In addition to the four-lane highway, it is equipped with a double-track railway, due to which it is the longest combined bridge in Europe. It was put into operation on July 1, 2000.
It is interesting: In addition to the importance for the infrastructure of the two countries, the bridge is of great cultural importance. So, it serves as the scene of the plot in the detective series "Bridge", which is one of the best works of Scandinavian television. Its adaptations have been filmed in many countries, including Russia.
4. Saratov bridge | 12.76 km
The first major bridge across the Volgograd reservoir, connecting Saratov and Engels, was opened in 1965. With a length of 2.8 km, it was the longest in Europe, but for our list it is "short."
More suitable is the new Saratov bridge with a length of 12.76 km, completely completed in 2009.
Curious fact: the quarry in which materials were extracted for the construction of a new bridge turned into Lake Goluboye. The name was given for the unusual blue color of the water, which initially scared away local residents. Now the pond is 500 meters long and 250 meters wide.
3. Bridge over Kama | 13,967 km
The bridge is part of the road running through Kazan, Orenburg and reaching the border with Kazakhstan.
The four-lane bridge began to be built in 1992, and opened in 2002. Having connected the Zakamsky districts of the central and southern part of Tatarstan, the bridge continued to increase until it was completely completed in 2016 with the participation of the President of the Republic.
Interesting fact: after they opened a bridge over Kama, airports had to be closed in Chistopol and Nurlat. This was done due to the fact that with the advent of the bridge, the need for air communication with Kazan disappeared.
2. Vasco da Gama, Portugal | 17.2 km
The bridge, named after the Portuguese navigator of the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries, was opened in 1998, although finally all the routes were completed much later. The total project cost amounted to about 1.1 billion dollars.
Prior to the construction of the bridge, which we will discuss later, Vasco da Gama was the longest in Europe. It is designed to operate for 120 years and, in theory, can withstand gusts of wind up to 250 km / h, that is, it has a huge margin of safety. Even a strong earthquake is not scary for him, according to the statements of the builders.
1. Crimean bridge, Russia | 18.1 km
Finish the Russian bridge, which is now the longest in Europe. Its construction began in 2016, and the first cars drove along it in the spring of 2018 (in the winter of 2019, a railway message was launched).
The bridge is of great importance not only in terms of infrastructure, but also as a political object amid disagreements between Russia and Ukraine.
Despite the fact that very little time has passed since the opening, they have already managed to make the film “Crimean Bridge. Made with love!".