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 14th 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 16th and 17th 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 17th 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 16th 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