List of bridges with buildings

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.

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. And certain other bridge-like structures did provide complete spans but were not open to the public for crossing, such as perhaps some château in France, perhaps a building in Amberg, Germany (File:Nuernberg-fronfeste-und-kettensteg-v-O.jpg, at 49°26′50″N 11°51′20″E / 49.44734494449012°N 11.855433°E / 49.44734494449012; 11.855433 (Fronfest Amberg?) over the Vils river), and numerous private buildings such as the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Fallingwater residence over Bear Run in Pennsylvania. These also are not intended to be included.

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

Australia

BridgeImageLocationRiverDatesNote
Walter Taylor Bridge Brisbane, Queensland27°30′21″S 152°58′25″E / 27.505773°S 152.973606°E / -27.505773; 152.973606 (Walter Taylor Bridge)Suspension bridge across Brisbane RiverOpened 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

Canada

BridgeImageLocationRiverDatesNote
Esplanade Riel Winnipeg, Manitoba
49°31′57″N 97°04′25″E / 49.5326°N 97.0737°E / 49.5326; 97.0737 (Esplanade Riel)
Red River of the North2004Side-spar cable-stayed bridge with restaurant

China

BridgeImageLocationRiverDatesNote
Anshun Bridge Chengdu, Sichuan
30°38′39″N 104°05′00″E / 30.6442°N 104.0834°E / 30.6442; 104.0834 (Anshun Bridge)
Jin River13th century; 1746; 2003Arch bridge with restaurant
Five-Pavilion Bridge Yangzhou, Jiangsu
32°24′35.1″N 119°24′58.1″E / 32.409750°N 119.416139°E / 32.409750; 119.416139 (Five-Pavilion Bridge)
Slender West Lake1757Arch bridge with pavilions

Czech Republic

BridgeImageLocationRiverDatesNote
Stříbro bridge Stříbro, Tachov District
49°45′01″N 13°00′05″E / 49.750315°N 13.001316°E / 49.750315; 13.001316 (Stříbro Bridge)
Crosses Mže RiverOne of five towers survives.
Cloak Bridge of Český Krumlov Castle Český Krumlov

England

BridgeImageLocationRiverDatesNote
Frome bridge River Frome23 May 1983
High Bridge, Lincoln Lincoln, England
53°13′42.7″N 0°32′26.4″W / 53.228528°N 0.540667°W / 53.228528; -0.540667 (High Bridge, Lincoln)
River Witham1160The current row of timber framed shops on the west side of the bridge dates from about 1550.
"Old" London Bridge 51°30′29″N 0°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 Bridge54°58′03″N 1°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
Old Exe Bridge Exeter, Devon
50°43′09″N 3°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, Cambridgeshire
52°19′22″N 0°04′31″W / 52.322826°N 0.075338°W / 52.322826; -0.075338 (St Ives Bridge)
Great Ouse in St Ives, Cambridgeshire1400sOne of four bridges in England having a chapel.[7][8] Chapel space was a bawdy house in 1700s.
Rotherham Bridge Rotherham
53°25′57″N 1°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 Wakefield
53°40′34″N 1°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
51°20′49″N 2°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 Avignon
43°57′14″N 4°48′18″E / 43.95389°N 4.80500°E / 43.95389; 4.80500 (Pont d'Avignon / Pont Saint-Bénézet)
RhôneBuilt 1177–1185Has Chapel of Saint Nicholas
Pont Valentré Cahors
44°26′42″N 1°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 LotBuilt 1308-1378
Château de Chenonceau Loire Valley
47°19′29″N 1°04′13″E / 47.3247209°N 1.0704098°E / 47.3247209; 1.0704098 (Château de Chenonceau)
Cher1514-1559It appears this was actually a public crossing: per its Wikipedia article "The widowed Louise Dupin saved the château from destruction during the French Revolution, preserving it from being destroyed by the Revolutionary Guard because 'it was essential to travel and commerce, being the only bridge across the river for many miles.'"
Pont des Marchands Narbonne, Aude
43°11′00″N 3°00′13″E / 43.183201°N 3.003693°E / 43.183201; 3.003693 (Pont des Marchands)
Canal de la RobineSegmental arch bridge with one (once six) span
Pont de Rohan Landerneau, Brittany
48°27′01″N 4°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
48°34′46″N 7°44′17″E / 48.57944°N 7.73806°E / 48.57944; 7.73806 (Barrage Vauban)
120 m (390 ft) bridge crosses IllOpened in 1690
Pont Ambroix Ambrussum, Languedoc-Roussillon
43°43′02″N 4°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 Erfurt
50°58′43″N 11°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) Bad Kreuznach, Rhineland-Palatinate
49°50′41″N 07°51′28″E / 49.84472°N 7.85778°E / 49.84472; 7.85778 (Alte Nahebrücke)
Nahe riverc. 1300/1956 (bridge); 1612 (houses)Stone arch bridge, 135 metres (443 ft) x 10 metres (33 ft)
Stadtbrille [de] Amberg
49°26′34″N 11°51′27″E / 49.442822°N 11.857381°E / 49.442822; 11.857381 (Stadtbrille)
VilsThe "Stadtbrille" (literally: town spectacles) bridge was part of the town's fortifications, and its arches reflected on the river resemble a pair of spectacles.

Italy

BridgeImageLocationRiverDatesNote
Ponte Vecchio, Florence Florence
43°46′05″N 11°15′11″E / 43.76799°N 11.25316°E / 43.76799; 11.25316 (Ponte Vecchio)
Crosses Arno RiverClosed-spandrel segmental stone arch bridge with 30 metres (98 ft) main span
Rialto Bridge VeniceStone arch bridge with 31.80 metres (104.3 ft) span over Grand Canal22.90 metres (75.1 ft) wide
Ponte Coperto Pavia
45°10′51″N 9°09′12″E / 45.180739°N 9.153258°E / 45.180739; 9.153258 (Ponte Coperto)
Crosses Ticino River216 metres (709 ft) long. Bridge of 1354 and 1949-51 replacement have a chapel.[10]
Ponte Vecchio, Bassano
Bassano del GrappaCrosses Brenta (river)

Spain

BridgeImageLocationRiverDatesNote
Puente Nuevo Ronda
36°44′26.69″N 5°9′57.25″W / 36.7407472°N 5.1659028°W / 36.7407472; -5.1659028 (Puente Nuevo)
Built 1759-1793Crosses Guadalevín River in El Tajo gorge. Chamber above central arch has been used as a prison, including during Spanish Civil War

Switzerland

BridgeImageLocationRiverDatesNote
Spreuerbrücke Lucerne
47°03′07.1″N 8°18′06.5″E / 47.051972°N 8.301806°E / 47.051972; 8.301806 (Spreuerbrücke)
crosses Reuss

Turkey

BridgeImageLocationRiverDatesNote
Irgandı Bridge Bursa
40°10′54″N 29°04′16″E / 40.1818°N 29.0710°E / 40.1818; 29.0710 (Irgandı Bridge)
crosses Gökdere
Constantine's BridgeMysia
40°12′15″N 28°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 Rochester, New York
43°9′22″N 77°36′39″W / 43.15611°N 77.61083°W / 43.15611; -77.61083 (Main Street Bridge)
Genesee River1857The buildings were removed in the mid-1960's. Earlier bridges at this site also had buildings. [11]

Vietnam

BridgeImageLocationRiverDatesNote
Chùa Cầu, or Japanese Bridge Hội An, Quảng Nam
15°52′38″N 108°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, Wales
51°48′32″N 2°43′12″W / 51.809°N 2.7199°W / 51.809; -2.7199
River Monnowc.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