Every great city is born from a river that passes through the city. The various bridges on the river have built people's hopes for smoothness and opened up people's cognition and imagination of beauty. The following are the 4 most beautiful bridges in Europe, let us walk through the classical and elegant picture together, to savor the feelings and brilliance of the old world...
1. Charles Bridge, Prague, Czech Republic
Charles Bridge was built in 1357 and is a stone bridge of great artistic value. The bridge spans the Vltava River. 16 piers connect the Prague Castle District and the Old Town. It used to be the only way for the coronation procession of the kings of the past. Today, there are often street performers and handicraft creations on the bridge. There are 30 statues of saints on this oldest and longest bridge in Europe, all of which are masterpieces of Czech Baroque masters in the 17th and 18th centuries. The morning mist shrouded the looming sculptures, and the lanterns at dusk are the most romantic moments of Charles Bridge.
2. Tower Bridge, London, UK
Tower Bridge, which spans the River Thames, is one of London's iconic buildings and was built in 1894. Visitors can learn about its history and structure by visiting exhibitions inside the tower, enjoy views of London from the pedestrian walkway on the upper level of Tower Bridge, and continue the journey to discover the inner workings of the bridge in the Victoria Powerhouse. The lifting and lowering of the Tower Bridge used to be a steam-hydraulic mechanism, but today it has been changed to electric, but the mechanical structure of the past is still reserved for visiting. If you are lucky, you can see Tower Bridge open to let tall ships pass through.
3. Ponte di Rialto, Venice, Italy
Among the more than 400 bridges in Venice, the Rialto Bridge is the most famous. The bridge body is all made of white marble. There is a floating pavilion on the top of the bridge, and there are shops selling jewelry and souvenirs on both sides. The Rialto is one of the most important business districts in Venice and has served as the commercial center of Europe for 300 years. Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" is the background. Its predecessor was a pontoon bridge built in 1181 called the "Coin Bridge", which was later transformed into a wooden bridge in 1255. The current Rialto Bridge was completed in 1591 and designed by Antonio da Ponte in a Renaissance style with an arch below it for ships to pass through.
4. Széchenyi Chain Bridge, Budapest, Hungary
The Széchenyi Chain Bridge spans the Danube and connects Buda and Pest. It is the oldest, most famous and most beautiful bridge in the city. Together with the surrounding buildings, it forms a fascinating night view. The construction of the Chain Bridge is attributed to the Hungarian Count Széchenyi Istvan. In 1820, Istvan urgently needed to cross the river to attend his father's funeral. The bad weather at that time made the wooden pontoon bridge impassable, and the trip was delayed for a week. Therefore, it was decided to build a bridge over the Danube. Later, William Tierney, a British bridge builder, was invited. Clark designed the most beautiful chain bridge over the Danube.
