Blurring borders: impressive bridges between countries (10 photos)

When the bridge crosses the border, it becomes cultural the heritage of mankind. "Around the World" tells about nine bridges in different parts of the world that connect neighboring states.





African unity

Zambia - Zimbabwe

The idea of a railway bridge over the Zambezi, where people passing through trains "will catch the spray of the waterfall", owned by Briton Cecil Rhodes, imperialist and "architect of apartheid". His plan was to build railroad across Africa, from Cape Town to Cairo. Plan failed, but not entirely.



In 1905, Victoria Falls Bridge was opened, though not by Rhodes, who by that time had died, and the son of Charles Darwin George. Now by Victoria Falls bridge, except for trains, cars and pedestrians are moving, for which excursions are organized.

On the one hand - the Zimbabwean city of Victoria Falls, on the other - Zambian Livingston. There is a free museum and playground for bungee jumping (at a height of 111 meters above the water), where he comes many who want to look at desperate jumpers, who are also a lot.

freedom road

Austria - Hungary





Wooden bridge across the grassy Einser Canal a real memorial, as well as a cultural and political symbol. In 1956 year, during the Hungarian uprising against the communist regime, from In Hungary, 180,000 people fled to the West. This bridge was the last corridor through which 70,000 Hungarians escaped.

Nine-kilometer path to the nearest Austrian town of Andau people called the "evacuation route" and "freedom road". In November In 1956, the Andau bridge was blown up by the Soviet military. And in 1996, in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution, it was restored according to the original drawings: Austrian soldiers built from Hungarian wood. Then along the road leading to Andau, artists from all over the world have created a gallery sculptures and outdoor installations.

Bron / Broen

Denmark - Sweden



Øresund Bridge connecting the Danish capital Copenhagen and the Swedish city of Malmö, became famous all over the world not because of its unique design, but thanks to the detective series "Bridge". However this is a truly grandiose engineering structure: an eight-kilometer a combined bridge (the longest in Europe) leads from the Swedish coast to artificial island Peberholm, where it turns into a four-kilometer Drogden tunnel, ending at the Danish airport Kastrup.

The point of the Danish engineers' decision was to provide airplanes take off and land without interference, and ships - free passage along the strait. The bridge-tunnel connects the cities not only by road and by rail, but also by a common internet cable.

Bridge of the Two Emperors



The city of Sovetsk in the Kaliningrad region was once called Tilsit and belonged to Prussia. It was there that the Treaty of Tilsit was concluded between Alexander I and Napoleon. Wife of King Friedrich of Prussia Wilhelm III Louise of Mecklenburg also participated in negotiations with Bonaparte. It is not surprising that the bridge over the Neman River, built in Tilsit a hundred years later, in 1907, was named after the revered people Queen Louise.

He, unlike Tilsit and Koenigsberg, still retained its name, although in 1944 it was blown up by the Nazis, and later twice rebuilt. Bas-relief depicting Louise on the southern Baroque portal bridge in 1964 was replaced by the coat of arms of the Soviet Union. In 1995, the coat of arms removed, and in the early 2000s Louise was returned. On the other side of the river the Lithuanian city of Panemune and, accordingly, the border point.

caravan route

Georgia - Azerbaijan



A magnificent monument of architecture of the 17th century, a bridge across the river Temple on the road between Tbilisi and Ganja, stands on the old caravan way. He was widely known among the local peoples as Broken. Azerbaijanis even now call it that officially, although no one this bridge never broke since the Georgian king Rostom built it.

But, according to historians, back in the 10th century, the bridge was destroyed in 95 meters from it, and the remains of its supports are still preserved, hence memory. But the Russians called the bridge Red, but not for beauty, but forwet bricks. Inside the powerful pillars of the 175-meter structure, two caravanserai. The bridge in the neutral border zone is still functioning.

Way of Adam

India - Sri Lanka



Origin of the chain of limestone shoals between the Indian the island of Pamban and the Sri Lankan island of Mannar still remain a riddle. The length of this "bridge" is 48 km.

There are a dozen fantastic and scientific versions, starting with ancient Indian myth about the bridge, which was built by the god Rama with the help of monkey people, continuing with the early Islamic story that expelled from the Garden of Eden, Adam followed this path from Sri Lanka to India, and ending with numerous scientific theories: about the uplift of the earth, movement of tectonic plates, rising sea levels, deposition of sand, work of coastal currents. But none of these theories are considered proven. Like the fact that the Adam's Bridge is a natural formation, and not the work of human hands.

Rainbow over Niagara

Canada - USA



There are three Niagara Falls: American, Veil and Horseshoe (Canadian). And there are two cities with the name Niagara Falls, and they neighbors separated by the Niagara River and the border: one is in the US, the other is in Canada.

It is clear that a decisive role in the economy of twin cities occupied by tourism. There are two arched bridges between the cities, but especially for tourists the one that is closer to the waterfalls is important: the pedestrian-automobile Rainbow bridge opened in 1941.

The history of the name is unknown, but no one has any questions about it. does not occur: the rainbow is a regular phenomenon here. Rainbow predecessor Bridge, Honeymoon Bridge, collapsed due to ice jams in January 1938, having served only 40 years. And the predecessor of the “newlyweds bridge” stood and even less, 20 years old, and also collapsed due to a storm. In general, this is the place for bridges are not particularly friendly. But it's very attractive to people.

With royal regards

Bahrain - Saudi Arabia



A four-lane road 25 kilometers long, leading through Persian Gulf from the Saudi city of Al Khobar to the Bahraini village El Jasra, called the King Fahd Bridge. Actually this is a series of five bridges connected by islands and dams. border station located about halfway, on a specially created artificial Passport Island, aka Middle Island.

The idea to connect the two kingdoms with a bridge originated in the 1950s. years, but it took three decades to begin to translate it into reality. The situation was simplified by the fact that in 1967 Bahrain, with left-hand traffic switched to right-hand traffic. The project was completely implemented in four years and named after the king of Saudi Arabia, who, together with the Sheikh of Bahrain, opened the bridge in 1986.

Last Choice

North Korea - South Korea



Bridge of No Return - Bridge of No Return - divided in half by the Military demarcation line. In 1953, after the end of the Korean War, On this bridge, prisoners of war were exchanged during Operation Big Switch.

Delivered to the bridge, prisoners were placed on both sides ultimatum: they have the right to either remain in the country where they were captured in captured, or return to their homeland, but the one who crosses the bridge will change will never be able to make a decision. Hence the name of the bridge.

Tellingly, out of almost a hundred thousand captured communists, more than 22 600 people remained in South Korea. But much more surprising for the UN was that 325 South Koreans, 21 Americans and one Briton in As a result, they also refused to repatriate.