These 21 Famous Bridges Are Some of the Most Instagrammable Spots in the World 

Inspired by art deco style, the iconic Golden Gate Bridge opened in May 1937. The bridge’s signature color is called International Orange, a hue chosen by its architect and engineer, Irving Morrow and Joseph Strauss so that the structure stands out in the ever-present fog surrounding the Bay Area.

This arch bridge in Florence was built in 1345 after a flood destroyed the previous structure in 1117. The bridge has always been populated by merchants except that, at the beginning, it was mostly butcher shops and leather tanners. But at the end of the 16th century, Duke Ferdinand I decided that the smell and trash they produced was too unbearable. From then on, he only allowed jewelers and goldsmiths to do business on the bridge.

One of Singapore’s most photographed landmarks, Helix Bridge is a pedestrian bridge that sports a curvy design modeled after DNA structure. Helix Bridge is also a great place to soak up some magnificent views of Singapore as there are special cantilevered viewing platforms incorporated in its design.

Brooklyn Bridge connects the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn and dates back to 1883. Its granite and limestone towers with their Gothic arches have made it one of the world’s most recognizable landmarks. Even its architect, John Roebling, was impressed by the end result; He was quoted as saying, “The great towers will serve as landmarks to the adjoining cities, and they will be entitled to be ranked as national monuments.”

The magnificent fairy-tale-esque Tower Bridge was inspired by neo-Gothic architecture that was popular in England between the 18th and early 20th centuries. One of the reasons why its architects chose this particular design is because Queen Victoria was against the construction of a new bridge next to the Tower of London for fear that a modern-looking structure would look out of place.

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The first permanent bridge to connect the two parts of Budapest, Buda and Pest, was inaugurated in 1849. Lion sculptures guard both its entrances while two arched towers support the entire structure that weighs about 5,200 tons.

Inspired by the shape of sand dunes, the striking Sheikh Zayed Bridge in Abu Dhabi took seven years to complete due to its complicated design. Its beautiful silhouette was conceived by Zaha Hadid while its unique lighting is the work of Rogier van der Heide who installed lights along the curved shape of the structure,"symbolizing the city’s energy."

While the 6,855-foot long Manhattan Bridge is impressive in its entirety, it’s the grand Greek Revival entrance on the Manhattan side that has people in awe. The elaborate arch and colonnade were conceived by architecture firm Carrere & Hastings, who drew inspiration from classic European monuments. The firm is behind another iconic structure in New York City: the main branch of the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue.

Hangzhou Bay Bridge is a spectacular achievement of architecture and engineering. It is 23 miles long, which makes it the longest sea-crossing bridge in the world. While stopping on the road is not permitted, there is a huge viewing platform named “Land between the Sea and the Sky” in the middle of it that provides plenty of opportunities for sightseeing as well as shopping, accommodation, and dining. The sightseeing tower rises 19 stories above the bridge and offers absolutely breathtaking vistas of the entire Hangzhou Bay.

The beautiful arched bridge that spans across Sydney harbor and connects the city and the North Shore opened in 1932. Its signature arch structure reaches 440 feet above sea level at its summit and weighs a massive 39,000 tons. Its design was inspired by the Hell Gate Bridge in New York City that connects Randalls Island and Queens.

Spanning over 10 miles, the Vasco da Gama Bridge in Lisbon opened in 1998 and is the longest bridge in Europe. The structure was named after Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama and commemorates the fifth centenary of his return from India in 1498 (Da Gama was the first European to have reached the country by sea).

Located in picturesque Lucerne, Chapel Bridge spans river Reuss and connects New Town to the medieval Old Town. It is considered the oldest covered bridge in Europe and dates back to 1332 when it was built as part of the city fortifications.

Chengyang Bridge, one of the most scenic covered bridges in the world, is also known as Wind and Rain Bridges in China because it provides shelter from the elements. The bridge has three stone piers and five tiered-roof pavilions. Chengyang Bridge is entirely made from stone and wood, but interestingly enough, not a single nail was used in the construction of the entire structure.

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Paris has no shortage of beautiful bridges but the deck arch Pont Alexandre III stands out with distinguished opulence. The bridge connects the Grand and Petit Palais to the Hôtel des Invalides and was built for the 1900 World’s Fair. It symbolizes the friendship between France and Russia and was named after Russian emperor Alexander III.

Stari Most (“Old Bridge”) in the historic town of Mostar is a 94-foot long arch stone bridge that was built in the 16th century by the Ottomans. Unfortunately, during the Bosnian War between 1992 and 1995, the bridge was destroyed. An international coalition led by UNESCO and the World Bank later financed its reconstruction and the bridge, together with the Old City of Mostar, is now considered a symbol of “the coexistence of diverse cultural, ethnic, and religious communities,” according to UNESCO.

Completed in 1957, Mackinac Bridge (nicknamed “Mighty Mac”) connects the lower and upper peninsulas of Michigan. It took 350 engineers and 3,500 men on-site to construct the five-mile structure that still ranks one of the five longest suspension bridges in the world.

The Gold Rush that swept the Bay Area during the 19th century led to a major influx of people to San Francisco and Oakland, so the need for a bridge that would connect both communities followed. Today, Bay Bridge consists of three shorter bridges—two suspension bridges that connect downtown San Francisco to Yerba Buena Island, and a cantilever bridge that starts at Yerba Buena and ends in Oakland.

Once the world’s longest bridge (for about six years before Golden Gate Bridge opened), the George Washington Bridge spans 3,500 feet. Its design, conceived by Swiss engineer Othmarr Ammann, was so impressive that in 1947 renowned French architect Le Corbusier called it the most beautiful bridge in the world and “the only seat of grace in the disordered city.”

The magnificent Allahverdi Khan Bridge is one of 11 bridges that span Zayandehrud River in Isfahan, Iran. The bridge is more than 400 years old and is a beautiful example of Persian architecture. It has two rolls of 33 arches (hence its name, which means “33” in Persian) and was designed more as a space for gathering and recreation than merely as a structure that connects the two banks of the Zayanderud River.

The famous arched Rialto Bridge in Venice is the oldest bridge to span the Grand Canal. It was built at the end of the 16th century in Renaissance style and remained the only bridge crossing the canal for about 250 years. Earlier wooden structures at the same spot would collapse all too often so finally, in 1524, a competition was held for a new design. Among the applicants was Michelangelo, but ultimately the project was awarded to Swiss engineer Antonio da Ponte.

Also known as Pearl Bridge, the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge is not only the longest suspension bridge in the world but also one of the tallest—it is 928 feet high. The bridge is an engineering wonder designed to withstand an earthquake with a magnitude of up to 8.5 and wind speeds of up to 181 miles per hour.