List of bridges with buildings

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There are very few bridges with buildings in the world. This list attempts to identify all the existing ones and notable former ones featuring significant closed commercial, residential, governmental, or religious worship structures. There exist numerous proposals for inhabited bridges, including 73 designs submitted in the Royal Institute of British Architects' competition at the 800th anniversary of London Bridge, [1] but the table here presents only bridges actually built. Various blogs and magazines itemize a small number of them. [2] [3] [4] Many bridges include pavilions or other shelters serving pedestrians crossing the bridge, without providing commercial, residential, governmental, or religious worship space; these are not included.

Contents

Some "covered" or "roofed" bridges, such as Pont de Rohan, in Landerneau, and the Pont des Marchands, in Narbonne, both in France, have residential buildings; these two are among at least 45 inhabited bridges in Europe. Other covered bridges in Germany, [5] the United States, and elsewhere might be seen as "buildings" in that their roof protects an enclosed area, but the purpose of the covering is to preserve the structure and the enclosed space is primarily for traffic to pass through. The term "covered bridges" is also used for structures in China such as Chengyang Bridge (1912) and Xijin Bridge (rebuilt 1718) which have large enclosed spaces, but for these it appears that space is not provided for commercial or residential use.

The term "covered bridge" is sometimes used broadly to describe any "bridge-like structure" that is covered by a roof. However, bridge-like structures such as Heilig-Geist-Spital, a hospital built out over two arched spans into the Pegnitz river in Nuremberg, but which did not ever provide a complete crossing to the other side, are not included, nor are certain other bridge-like structures that provide complete spans but are not open to the public for crossing.

Bridges having buildings (with significant commercial, residential, governmental, or religious worship space) include:

Australia

BridgeImageLocationRiverDatesNote
Walter Taylor Bridge Walter Taylor Bridge in Brisbane, Australia, October 2019, 01.jpg Brisbane, Queensland 27°30′21″S152°58′25″E / 27.505773°S 152.973606°E / -27.505773; 152.973606 (Walter Taylor Bridge) Suspension bridge across Brisbane River Opened 1936Included residential space for "bridge-keeper" and family, no longer in use. Asserted to be the only habitable bridge in the southern hemisphere. [6]

Bulgaria

BridgeImageLocationRiverDatesNote
Covered Bridge, Lovech Lovech Bridge Klearchos.jpg Lovech

Canada

BridgeImageLocationRiverDatesNote
Esplanade Riel Esplanderiel.jpg Winnipeg, Manitoba
49°31′57″N97°04′25″E / 49.5326°N 97.0737°E / 49.5326; 97.0737 (Esplanade Riel)
Red River of the North 2004 Side-spar cable-stayed bridge with restaurant

China

BridgeImageLocationRiverDatesNote
Anshun Bridge Chengdu 2012-03.jpg Chengdu, Sichuan
30°38′39″N104°05′00″E / 30.6442°N 104.0834°E / 30.6442; 104.0834 (Anshun Bridge)
Jin River 13th century; 1746; 2003 Arch bridge with restaurant
Five-Pavilion Bridge Five Pavilion Bridge 2017-3.jpg Yangzhou, Jiangsu
32°24′35.1″N119°24′58.1″E / 32.409750°N 119.416139°E / 32.409750; 119.416139 (Five-Pavilion Bridge)
Slender West Lake 1757 Arch bridge with pavilions

Czech Republic

BridgeImageLocationRiverDatesNote
Stříbro bridge Stribro (1).jpg Stříbro, Tachov District
49°45′01″N13°00′05″E / 49.750315°N 13.001316°E / 49.750315; 13.001316 (Stříbro Bridge)
Crosses Mže River One of five towers survives.
Cloak Bridge of Český Krumlov Castle Cesky Krumlov, zamek hrad a most (6).jpg Český Krumlov

England

BridgeImageLocationRiverDatesNote
Frome bridge Bridge-house.jpg River Frome 23 May 1983
High Bridge, Lincoln High Bridge, High Street, Lincoln.jpg Lincoln, England
53°13′42.7″N0°32′26.4″W / 53.228528°N 0.540667°W / 53.228528; -0.540667 (High Bridge, Lincoln)
River Witham 1160The current row of timber framed shops on the west side of the bridge dates from about 1550.
"Old" London Bridge London Bridge (1616) by Claes Van Visscher.jpg 51°30′29″N0°05′16″W / 51.50806°N 0.08778°W / 51.50806; -0.08778 (Old London Bridge) Thames river, London1209–1831The number of houses on the bridge reached a maximum of 140. Many of the houses were later merged, into 91. In the seventeenth century, almost all had four or five storeys. All the houses were shops, and the bridge was one of the City of London's four or five main shopping streets. The three major buildings on the bridge were the chapel, the drawbridge tower and the stone gate. The drawbridge tower was where the severed heads of traitors were exhibited.
“Old” Newcastle Bridge 54°58′03″N1°36′27″W / 54.9674°N 1.6076°W / 54.9674; -1.6076 (Old Newcastle Bridge) Tyne river, Newcastle1248-1771On the site of the current Newcastle Swing Bridge, the medieval bridge was swept away in the Great Flood of Newcastle in 1771.
Pulteney Bridge Puente Pulteney, Bath, Inglaterra, 2014-08-12, DD 51.JPG Bath, Somerset
51°22′58.9″N2°21′28.4″W / 51.383028°N 2.357889°W / 51.383028; -2.357889 ("Pulteney Bridge")
River Avon, Bristol Built 1769-1774
Old Exe Bridge Arches of mediaeval Exe Bridge (5).JPG Exeter, Devon
50°43′09″N3°32′09″W / 50.719111°N 3.535800°W / 50.719111; -3.535800 (Old Exe Bridge)
River Exe (originally)c.1200-1778ruins are among England's oldest surviving bridge works
St Ives Bridge St ives bridge chapel.jpg St Ives, Cambridgeshire
52°19′22″N0°04′31″W / 52.322826°N 0.075338°W / 52.322826; -0.075338 (St Ives Bridge)
Great Ouse in St Ives, Cambridgeshire 1400sOne of four bridges in England having a chapel. [7] [8] Chapel space was a bawdy house in 1700s.
Rotherham Bridge Rotherham - Chantry Chapel and Nellie Denes.jpg Rotherham
53°25′57″N1°21′30″W / 53.43263°N 1.35829°W / 53.43263; -1.35829 (Bridge Street Bridge)
One of four bridges in England having a chapel [7]
Chantry Bridge, or Wakefield Bridge Chantry Bridge.JPG Wakefield
53°40′34″N1°29′20″W / 53.676°N 1.489°W / 53.676; -1.489 (Wakefield's Medieval Bridge and Chantry Chapel)
14th-century, nine-arched, stone bridgeOne of four bridges in England having a chapel [7]
Town Bridge, Bradford-on-Avon Bradford on Avon town bridge (2).JPG Bradford-on-Avon
51°20′49″N2°15′04″W / 51.347°N 2.251°W / 51.347; -2.251 (Town Bridge)
One of four bridges in England having a chapel [7] Has a lock-up.

France

"Between 12th and 16th century many bridges were built with houses on them. They were solution for limited accommodation in walled cities and only France had as many as 35." [9]

Ponts Couverts, Strasbourg, a covered bridge in Strasbourg, has four massive towers that are buildings, but these are on islands not the bridge itself. (See File:Panorama de Strasbourg - 2014-02-02- P1760351 - P1760357.jpg)

BridgeImageLocationRiverDatesNote
Pont d'Avignon, or Pont Saint-Bénézet Pont Saint-Benezet - summer 2011.jpg Avignon
43°57′14″N4°48′18″E / 43.95389°N 4.80500°E / 43.95389; 4.80500 (Pont d'Avignon / Pont Saint-Bénézet)
Rhône Built 11771185Has Chapel of Saint Nicholas
Pont Valentré Cahors pont Valentre vgen.jpg Cahors
44°26′42″N1°25′54″E / 44.44500°N 1.43167°E / 44.44500; 1.43167 (Pont Valentré)
Arch bridge with six 16.5 metres (54 ft) spans, crosses Lot Built 1308-1378
Château de Chenonceau Schloss Chenonceau.JPG Loire Valley
47°19′29″N1°04′13″E / 47.3247209°N 1.0704098°E / 47.3247209; 1.0704098 (Château de Chenonceau)
Cher 1514-1559
Pont des Marchands Narbonne - Le pont des marchands.jpg Narbonne, Aude
43°11′00″N3°00′13″E / 43.183201°N 3.003693°E / 43.183201; 3.003693 (Pont des Marchands)
Canal de la Robine Segmental arch bridge with one (once six) span
Pont de Rohan Pont de rohan 20060523-002.jpg Landerneau, Brittany
48°27′01″N4°14′57″W / 48.450260°N 4.249286°W / 48.450260; -4.249286 (Pont de Rohan)
Crosses the Élorn until 1930 and the construction of the Pont Albert Louppe near Brest.
Barrage Vauban Strasbourg Barrage Vauban apres restauration 2012-01.jpg Strasbourg
48°34′46″N7°44′17″E / 48.57944°N 7.73806°E / 48.57944; 7.73806 (Barrage Vauban)
120 m (390 ft) bridge crosses Ill Opened in 1690
Pont Ambroix Ambrussum pont Ambroix.JPG Ambrussum, Languedoc-Roussillon
43°43′02″N4°09′07″E / 43.7172°N 4.1519°E / 43.7172; 4.1519 (Pont Ambroix)
Stone arch bridge which carried the Roman road Via Domitia across the Vidourle; only one of its 11 arches survives;1st century BC. During the High Middle Ages, a chapel devoted to St Mary was added.

Germany

BridgeImageLocationRiverDatesNote
Krämerbrücke Kramerbrucke in Erfurt 70.JPG Erfurt
50°58′43″N11°01′51″E / 50.97861°N 11.03083°E / 50.97861; 11.03083 (Krämerbrücke)
segmental stone arch bridge crosses Gera

125 metres (410 ft) x 26 metres (85 ft)

1325 (stone bridge); 1486 (houses)
Alte Nahebrücke (Bad Kreuznach) Alte Nahebrucke, Bad Kreuznach.jpg Bad Kreuznach, Rhineland-Palatinate
49°50′41″N07°51′28″E / 49.84472°N 7.85778°E / 49.84472; 7.85778 (Alte Nahebrücke)
Nahe river c. 1300/1956 (bridge); 1612 (houses)Stone arch bridge, 135 metres (443 ft) x 10 metres (33 ft)
Stadtbrille  [ de ] Amberg Wahrzeichen Stadtbrille.JPG Amberg
49°26′34″N11°51′27″E / 49.442822°N 11.857381°E / 49.442822; 11.857381 (Stadtbrille)
Vils The "Stadtbrille" (literally: town spectacles) bridge was part of the town's fortifications, and its arches reflected on the river resemble a pair of spectacles.
Innere Brücke Esslingen a.N. - Altstadt - Innere Brucke und Maille - Ansicht vom Sudturm St. Dionys.jpg Esslingen am Neckar, Baden-Württemberg
48°44′00″N09°19′00″E / 48.73333°N 9.31667°E / 48.73333; 9.31667 (Innere Brücke)
Neckar

Italy

BridgeImageLocationRiverDatesNote
Ponte Vecchio, Florence Ponte Vecchio from East.jpg Florence
43°46′05″N11°15′11″E / 43.76799°N 11.25316°E / 43.76799; 11.25316 (Ponte Vecchio)
Crosses Arno River Closed-spandrel segmental stone arch bridge with 30 metres (98 ft) main span
Rialto Bridge Ponte di Rialto Venice 1.jpg Venice Stone arch bridge with 31.80 metres (104.3 ft) span over Grand Canal 22.90 metres (75.1 ft) wide
Ponte Coperto Pavia ponte coperto sul Ticino.jpg Pavia
45°10′51″N9°09′12″E / 45.180739°N 9.153258°E / 45.180739; 9.153258 (Ponte Coperto)
Crosses Ticino River 216 metres (709 ft) long. Bridge of 1354 and 1949-51 replacement have a chapel. [10]
Ponte Vecchio, Bassano
Bassano Ponte vecchio 07feb08 20.jpg
Bassano del Grappa Crosses Brenta (river)

Spain

BridgeImageLocationRiverDatesNote
Puente Nuevo Punte Nuevo Bridge, Ronda - Spain.jpg Ronda
36°44′26.69″N5°9′57.25″W / 36.7407472°N 5.1659028°W / 36.7407472; -5.1659028 (Puente Nuevo)
Crosses Guadalevín River in El Tajo gorge.Built 1759-1793Chamber above central arch has been used as a prison, including during Spanish Civil War

Switzerland

BridgeImageLocationRiverDatesNote
Spreuerbrücke Luzern - Spreuerbrucke.JPG Lucerne
47°03′07.1″N8°18′06.5″E / 47.051972°N 8.301806°E / 47.051972; 8.301806 (Spreuerbrücke)
crosses Reuss

Turkey

BridgeImageLocationRiverDatesNote
Irgandı Bridge Irgandi koprusu-Koprulu carsi veya carsili kopru, Bursa.jpg Bursa
40°10′54″N29°04′16″E / 40.1818°N 29.0710°E / 40.1818; 29.0710 (Irgandı Bridge)
crosses Gökdere
Constantine's Bridge Mysia
40°12′15″N28°26′29″E / 40.20417°N 28.44139°E / 40.20417; 28.44139 (Constantine's Bridge)
completed after 258 ADOnly ruins remain. Crossed Rhyndacus (Adırnas Çayı) In Byzantine times, had chapel created by Helena, mother of Constantine I


United States

BridgeImageLocationRiverDatesNote
Main Street Bridge Colin Campbell Cooper, Main Street Bridge, Rochester.jpg Rochester, New York
43°9′22″N77°36′39″W / 43.15611°N 77.61083°W / 43.15611; -77.61083 (Main Street Bridge)
Genesee River 1857The buildings were removed in the mid-1960's. Earlier bridges at this site also had buildings. [11]

Vietnam

BridgeImageLocationRiverDatesNote
Chùa Cầu, or Japanese Bridge Cau Nhat Ban.jpg Hội An, Quảng Nam
15°52′38″N108°19′34″E / 15.877127°N 108.326017°E / 15.877127; 108.326017 (Japanese Bridge)
Has a small temple, Bac De Tran Vu, which worships a Chinese general, also known as Huyen Thien Dai De. [12]

Wales

BridgeImageLocationRiverDatesNote
Monnow Bridge Monmouth - Monnow Bridge.jpg Monmouth, Wales
51°48′32″N2°43′12″W / 51.809°N 2.7199°W / 51.809; -2.7199
River Monnow c.1272A central tower, variously used as a gaol, garrison, toll-house and museum. The only surviving such bridge-tower in Britain. [13]

See also

References

  1. "Winners of London Bridge 800: Design an Inhabited Bridge Competition". August 17, 2009. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  2. "Bridges With Buildings". Madness Hub. November 11, 2019. Archived from the original on November 20, 2019.
  3. Delana (January 14, 2010). "Modern Trolls: 10 Bridges Turned to Homes & Mini-Cities". Web Urbanist.
  4. Kaushik Patowary (May 17, 2016). "Bridges With Buildings".
  5. Philip S. C. Caston (June 6, 2013). Germany's Historic Wooden Covered Bridges Still Standing (PDF) (Report).
  6. Melanie Vujkovic (August 29, 2018). "Curious Brisbane: Indooroopilly bridge – the only habitable bridge in the Southern Hemisphere". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Christopher Winn (2005). I Never Knew That About England. Ebury Press. ISBN   0-09-190207-X.
  8. "Bridge Chapels". Edward Green.
  9. "Historical Development of Bridges - Ancient and Greatest Bridges".
  10. American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) (2007). Bridges 2008 (calendar). Reston, Virginia: ASCE. pp. May featured bridge. ISBN   978-0-7844-0945-9.
  11. Cole, Andrew (1987). "Main Street Bridge" (PDF). Historic American Engineering Record. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 23, 2012. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  12. "Lịch sử chùa Cầu ở Hội an". July 7, 2019.
  13. Cadw. "Monnow Bridge (Grade I) (2218)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved November 10, 2021.