The world is filled with amazing bridges spanning gorges, rivers and roads. In this list of the world’s tallest bridges, we look at 5 amazing structures, measured from the base of the structure to the bridge’s highest point. Those bridges which have a longer vertical drop (“deck height”) are discounted; this list purely covers structural height.
Millau Viaduct
Currently, the world’s tallest bridge, the Millau Viaduct rises to a height of 1,125 feet (343 metres) from base to tip. Completed in 2004, it carries motorway traffic across the Tarn river valley in the Millau region of Southern France. As with most of the structures on this list, the Millau Viaduct is a cable-stayed construction and is taller than many city centre skyscrapers. The highest point of the bridge deck is some 270 metres above the valley beneath.
Russky Bridge
Finished in the summer of 2012 at a cost of more than a billion dollars, the Russky Bridge comes in as the second tallest bridge in the world, with a maximum height of 320 metres. It is also the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world, encompassing a central span of over 1,100 metres across the Eastern Bosphorus Strait. It is located in Vladivostok, Russia, and connects the island of Russky to the city centre.
Sutong Bridge
The third bridge to top 1000 feet, the 306-metre high Sutong Bridge is another cable-stayed construction which links the towns of Changshu and Nantong, in the Jiangsu province of Eastern China. With the longest span of some 1,088 metres over the Yangtse, the Sutong Bridge was completed and opened in 2008 after a five-year build.
Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge
The only suspension bridge to make the list, the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge is a motorway bridge in Kobe, Japan. It rises to a height of 298 metres and spans an amazing 1,991 metres over the Akashi Strait, making it the longest suspension bridge worldwide. It was completed in 1998, at the staggering cost of 500 billion yen.
Stonecutters Bridge
Connecting the eponymous Stonecutters Island with other regions of Hong Kong, this bridge rises to a maximum height of 298 metres. It presented great design challenges on account of the extreme weather conditions in the region and has the longest span of 1,018 metres. The bridge was opened in December 2009.