Everyone agrees that modern bridges are incredible feats of mechanical engineering; to make a gigantic structure that holds its own weight plus that of who/whatever is traversing it requires hours upon hours of tedious calculation and design. However, they aren't all purely mechanical marvels! Bridges also feature some of the coolest architecture and design in the modern world.
Henderson Waves Bridge – Singapore
A prominent fixture in Mount Faber park along Singapore's Southern Ridges trail, the Henderson Waves Bridge lights up at night with beautiful LED lamps.
Living Root Bridges – Meghalaya, India
These handmade bridges involve a complex process of shaping the aerial roots of banyan fig trees. They can take as many as 15 years to complete!
Banpo Bridge Rainbow Fountain – Seoul, South Korea
Located over the Han River in downtown Seoul, the Banpo Bridge forms a double-decker bridge with the Jamsu Bridge below. For several 20 minute periods per night, the fountain puts on a gorgeous display, shooting out 190 tons of water per minute lit by no less than 10,000 LED nozzles!
Lego Bridge, Wuppertal Suspension Railway – Germany
You probably built things that looked like this when you were a kid, right? These Lego bricks, however, are merely painted on. Thank goodness, because something tells us a bridge made of actual giant Legos might not hold up.
The Murinsel – Graz, Austria
Located in the middle of the Mur river in Austria, American architect Vito Acconci's steel and glass creation is one of the most bizarre and interesting bridges in Europe.
Eshima Ohashi – Japan
Sometimes known as "The Roller Coaster Bridge" or "the steepest bridge in the world," the bridge spans a mile-wide lake between the cities of Sakaiminato and Matsue.
Moses Bridge – The Netherlands
Created during the restoration of a 17th century Dutch fort, this bridge is designed to stay hidden along the water line of the moat, keeping it concealed from potential invaders!
Dragon Bridge – Da Nang, Vietnam
Because no dragon would be complete without it, this bridge actually breathes fire for a brief period every Saturday and Sunday night at 9 p.m.!
Ponte Vecchio – Florence, Italy
This bridge, which in its current incarnation was built nearly seven centuries ago, still features actual shops along its side walls — a very cool architectural theme we wish was still in use today!
Infinite Bridge – Denmark
Okay, so, it's not necessarily a bridge that goes to anywhere, but that hardly makes it any less cool and interesting, right?
Millau Viaduct – Millau, France
Standing taller than any other bridge in the world at 1,125 feet, this collaboration between structural engineer Michel Virlogeux and architect Norman Foster frequently wins design awards for its beautiful silhouette.
Erasmus Bridge – Rotterdam, Netherlands
Designed by architect Ben van Berkel and completed in 1996, this bridge is truly one of the coolest feats of architecture we've ever seen. Wouldn't it be cool to drive across that every day?
Øresund Bridge – Malmo, Sweden/Copenhagen, Denmark
The Øresund bridge, at first glance, seems to just end on a random island in the middle of the gulf, but take a closer look! The bridge actually dives down into a tunnel to connect the two cities of the region. Interestingly, the mandmade island in the middle, known as Peberholm, is now home to hundreds of different species of plants and animals, none of which were introduced by humans!