The highest railway bridges in the world. Millau Viaduct in France - the most beautiful and highest bridge in France

It is unknown who and when was the first to throw a log across the river to cross to the other bank. But from that moment on, humanity began to gradually approach the construction modern bridges with advanced technologies. The invention of the canopy crossing can be called one of cornerstones historical progress. Bridges not only unite the banks - they connect the destinies of people, they allow one to admire the beauty of nature from an unusual angle. Often they themselves become an object of interest and admiration due to their venerable age, the beauty of architecture or unique parameters. One of the categories that characterize bridges is their height. And thanks to progress, the list of the highest bridges in the world is gradually increasing. We will look at them in the article.

Active development bridge construction in China has led to large number record-breaking bridges are located in this country. At the end of 2016, they were joined by the Beipanjiang Bridge, spanning the river of the same name and connecting the southwestern provinces of Yunnan and Zhejiang. This object has already secured the title of the highest suspension bridge in the world - the highest point is at the 565-meter mark or at the level of the 200th floor of the skyscraper. In addition, he is considered one of the pioneers of buildings of this type in Asian mountainous regions.

The Beipanjiang Bridge is a cable-stayed suspension structure. It rests on two pylons in the shape of the letter “H” on opposite sides of the river gorge. In addition to steel cables, the reliability of the building is ensured by a stiffening beam under the main span. The construction of the 4-lane bridge, which is part of the expressway, took 3 years and required an investment of $150 million.

Millau (France)

In the list of the highest bridges in the world, the Millau Viaduct over the Tarn River Valley is far from the last place. This structure is considered one of the hallmarks of France - the cable-stayed bridge is part of the route connecting the capital and the town of Beziers, where many elite educational institutions are located. Therefore, fast communication between the two cities is especially important. If we take the total height with the pylons, then the viaduct (343 m) is slightly lower (by 40 m) than the Empire State Building, but exceeds the “height” Eiffel Tower(at 37 m). A road surface with 4 lanes hovers above the valley at an altitude of 270 meters.

Millau Viaduct, the most high bridge on the planet, was commissioned at the end of 2004. Design work were carried out for 10 years, but construction was delayed for 3 years due to strong winds and terrain difficulties. Design workshops that at one time designed and main symbol Paris. The metal road surface was installed on supports using the method of extension from opposite sides, sending commands via satellite.

Quite often the river valley is shrouded in thick fog - and then the bridge floats among the clouds. But the viaduct looks especially impressive at night. Illuminated 7 pylons with red lights at the top and wings of tensioned cables look like alien ships at the start. And the light from 7 pillars “walking” through the valley turns it into mysterious world.

Russian Bridge (Russia)

Among the highest bridges in the world, a worthy place is given to the Russian Bridge. In terms of the height of its two pylons, it is only slightly inferior to the French Millau. The height of the Russian Bridge is 321 meters (versus 343 French meters). The name of the relatively young (2012) bridge was given by Fr. Russian, who thanks to this facility received road communication with the coastal part of Vladivostok.

The construction of a bridge across the strait was brewing throughout the 20th century. But engineering projects 1939 and 1960 did not meet the technical objectives. In 2008, in preparation for the APEC summit, the most advanced plan at that time was designed, which was brought to life in 2012. The bridge as a development transport system The Vladivostok link instantly became a symbol of the capital of Primorye - it is called one of the wonders of the Far East.

The uniqueness of the Russian Bridge lies in its three-kilometer length and the length of the central span, which at a height of 70 m from the water extends to 1104 meters - according to this indicator, it is the first in the world among bridges. In addition, during construction they used latest methods: continuous concreting and use

The bridge is designed only for car traffic(4 lanes) - pedestrians are strictly prohibited from passing through the structure. The beauty and significance of the Russian Bridge is confirmed by its image on the new 2 thousand banknotes of Russia.

Sutun. Pride of China

The Sutong cable-stayed bridge, one of the numerous cohorts of the tallest bridges in China, has been in operation since mid-2008. In terms of its parameters, this cable-stayed giant in the list of the tallest bridges in the world follows immediately after the Russian giant - each of its two pylons reaches 306 m in height, and the central span is 16 m short m to the span of the Russian bridge.

The task of the bridge builders was to connect two cities from different districts of China, which they successfully accomplished. The Sutong cable-stayed bridge (China) enters the river delta in a smooth arc. Yangtze and extends 8206 m above its main fairway. The road surface is raised 62 m above the water for the unhindered passage of ships and container ships. The bridge has become a landmark in China, it plays important role in a fast economic growth areas in the southern reaches of the river. The Yangtze, where cities such as Shanghai are located.

Sutong is the engineering and economic pride of the Celestial Empire, since the design and financing of the gigantic structure took place on our own states without attracting international assistance.

Bridge in Japan

An engineering miracle of Japanese bridge builders is the Akashi-Kaike, or Pearl, suspension bridge. It is the connecting link between the islands of Honshu and Awaji. At the time of its opening (1998), it was considered the highest bridge in the world, as its two pylons rose 282.8 m above the waters of the Akashi Strait. Later, structures that were more impressive in height were built, but the scale and uniqueness of Akashi-Kaike did not suffer from this.

The Japanese giant is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest suspension bridge in the world (3911 m) - it is equal to approximately 4 Brooklyn Bridges. The length of its central span is also phenomenal - 1991 m. Near the bridge there is a museum telling about its construction.

The longest Pearl Bridge was made by an earthquake that occurred during construction and moved one of the pylons away from the design site by 1 m. But otherwise it is an extremely stable object: it is not in danger aftershocks up to 8.5 points, it can withstand the strongest strait currents and wind speeds of up to 80 m/s. The service life of Zhemchuzhny is designed for 200 years, and in the future it can become both a road and rail crossing.

But the bridge has a significant drawback - travel across it is expensive, so most residents use the ferry or public transport.

Highest railway bridge

The highest, like many road bridges that for some time bore the title of the highest in the world, is located in China. This facility connects the slopes of the famous Beipanjiang Canyon in the southwestern province of Guizhou in the vicinity of the city of Liupanshui. The bridge is an arch type structure with one span and a passage along the upper part. Highest point the building is located at 275 meters. The railway bridge has been in operation since 2001.

Transport facilities

The list of the highest transport bridges in the world is constantly changing. But currently it looks like this:

• Beipanjiang Road Bridge (China) - 565 m.
• Millau automobile viaduct (France) - 343 m.
• Automobile Russian Bridge (Russia) - 321 m.
• Sutong Road Bridge (China) - 306 m.
• Road Pearl Bridge (Japan) - 282.8 m, in the future - and railway.
• Beipanjiang Canyon Railway Bridge (China) - 275 meters.

Pedestrian bridges of the world

The Kokonoe Yume Suspension Bridge is for pedestrians only. This is one of the highest pedestrian bridges in Japan - its structures reach a height of 173 meters. The facility is located in the city of Kokonoe. At the same time, 1,800 vacationers can walk along the bridge, admiring the Kyushu Valley, Sindu Falls, or simply pictures of nature underfoot through the bars of the central span. The unusual pedestrian bridge on the island is named after the Sky Bridge for its location at an altitude of 700 meters and the magnificent views it offers. The entire arc-shaped structure seems to float in the air, resting on a single support - an 82-meter column. This bridge is not the highest, it is only located at an unprecedented level. But he holds another record - he is the longest in the world among suspension bridges curved structure (125 m).

The highest pedestrian bridge is a glass structure in China. It opened to visitors in 2016 and is located in Zhangjiajie Forest Park. The height of its structures is 300 m, and the bridge itself is thrown from cliff to cliff at an altitude of 260 meters. Difficult technical system consists of a steel frame and glass panels in the amount of 120 pieces. The structure can support the weight of 800 people walking along it at one time.

Bridges always attract people's attention with their technical characteristics or special appearance. They fascinate with the opportunity to admire the landscapes from unusual vantage points. And inquisitive human mind will always create new bridge designs with the highest parameters.

There is probably no such person who has not seen or heard about this unique and beautiful bridge, but I don’t have it in all over the world. To make it of some interest to you, let's approach the topic from the other side, let's look at the process of building this structure.

One of the main wonders of the industrial world of France can easily be attributed to the world-famous Millau Bridge, which is the holder of several records. Thanks to this gigantic bridge, stretching over a huge river valley called Tar, uninterrupted and high-speed travel is ensured from the capital of France, Paris, to the small town of Beziers. Many tourists who come to see this highest bridge in the world often wonder: “Why was it necessary to build such an expensive and complex bridge? technically the bridge that leads from Paris to quite small town Bezier? The thing is that it is in Beziers that a huge number of educational institutions, elite private schools and a retraining center for highly qualified specialists are located.

A huge number of Parisians, as well as residents from other countries, go to study at these schools and colleges. major cities France, who are attracted by the elitism of education in Beziers. In addition, the town of Beziers is located just 12 kilometers from the picturesque coast of the warm Mediterranean Sea, which, of course, in turn, also cannot but attract tens of thousands of tourists from all over the globe every year.

The Millau Bridge, which can rightfully be considered the pinnacle of the mastery of engineers and architects, is popular among travelers as one of the most interesting attractions in France. Firstly, it offers a magnificent view of the Tar River valley, and secondly, it is one of the favorite objects for modern photographers. Photos of the Millau Bridge, which is almost two and a half kilometers long and 32 meters wide, made by the best and most respected photographers, adorn numerous office buildings and hotels not only in France, but throughout the Old World.

The bridge is a particularly fantastic sight when clouds gather underneath it: at this moment it seems as if the viaduct is hanging in the air and does not have a single support under it. The height of the bridge above the ground at its highest point is just over 270 meters. The Millau Viaduct was built with the sole purpose of relieving congestion on the national route number 9, which constantly experienced huge traffic jams during the season, and tourists traveling around France, as well as drivers trucks, were forced to stand in traffic jams for hours.

As mentioned above, the bridge, which is part of the A75 highway, connects Paris and the city of Beziers, but it is quite often used by motorists traveling to the capital of the country from Spain and southern France. It is worth noting that travel through the viaduct, which “floats above the clouds,” is paid, which does not in any way affect its popularity among drivers vehicles and guests of the country who came to see one of the most amazing wonders of the industrial world.

The legendary Millau Viaduct, which every self-respecting bridge builder knows about and which is considered an example of technological progress for all mankind, was designed by Michel Virlajo and the brilliant architect Norman Foster. For those who are not familiar with the works of Norman Foster, it should be clarified that this talented English engineer, promoted to knights and barons by the Queen of Great Britain, not only recreated, but also introduced a number of new unique solutions to the Berlin Reichstag. It was thanks to his painstaking work and precisely calibrated calculations that the main symbol of the country was literally resurrected from the ashes in Germany. Naturally, Norman Foster's talent made the Millau Viaduct one of the modern wonders of the world.

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In addition to the British architect, a group called Eiffage, which includes the famous Eiffel workshop, which designed and built one of the main attractions of Paris, was involved in the work on the creation of the highest transport route in the world. By and large, the talent of Eiffel and the employees from his bureau built not only “ business card» Paris, but throughout France. In a well-coordinated tandem, the Eiffage group, Norman Foster and Michel Virlajo developed the Millau Bridge, which was inaugurated on December 14, 2004.

Already 2 days after festive event The first cars drove along the final link of the A75 highway. An interesting fact is that the first stone in the construction of the viaduct was laid on December 14, 2001, and the start of large-scale construction started on December 16, 2001. Apparently, the builders planned to coincide the opening date of the bridge with the start date of its construction.

Despite a group of the best architects and engineers, building the highest road bridge in the world was extremely difficult. By and large, there are two more bridges on our planet that are located above Millau above the surface of the earth: the Royal Gorge Bridge in the USA in Colorado (321 meters above the ground) and the Chinese bridge connecting the two banks of the Siduhe River. True, in the first case we are talking about a bridge that can only be crossed by pedestrians, and in the second, about a viaduct, the supports of which are located on a plateau and their height cannot be compared with the supports and pylons of Millau. It is for these reasons that the French Millau bridge is considered the most difficult in constructive solution and the highest road bridge in the world.

Some supports of the A75 terminal link are located at the bottom of the gorge that separates the “red plateau” and the Lazarka plateau. To make the bridge completely safe, French engineers had to separately develop each support: almost all of them are of different diameters and clearly designed for a specific load. The width of the largest bridge support reaches almost 25 meters at its base. True, in the place where the support connects to the road surface, its diameter noticeably narrows.

The workers and architects who developed the project had to face a whole host of difficulties during construction work. Firstly, it was necessary to strengthen the places in the gorge where the supports were located, and secondly, it was necessary to spend quite a lot of time transporting individual parts of the canvas, its supports and pylons. Just imagine that the main support of the bridge consists of 16 sections, the weight of each of them is 2,300 (!) tons. Looking ahead a little, I would like to note that this is one of the records that belongs to the Millau Bridge.

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Naturally, there are no vehicles in the world that could deliver such massive parts of the Millau Bridge supports. For this reason, the architects decided to deliver parts of the supports in parts (if one can put it that way, of course). Each piece weighed about 60 tons. It is quite difficult to even imagine how much time it took the builders just to deliver 7 (!) supports to the bridge construction site, and this does not even take into account the fact that each support has a pylon just over 87 meters high, to which 11 pairs of high-strength cables are attached.

However, delivering construction materials to the site is not the only difficulty the engineers faced. The thing is that the Tar River valley has always been distinguished by a harsh climate: warmth, quickly giving way to piercing cold, sharp gusts of wind, steep cliffs - only a small part of what the builders of the majestic French viaduct had to overcome. There is official evidence that the development of the project and numerous studies lasted just over 10 (!) years. Work on the construction of the Millau Bridge was completed in such difficult conditions, one might even say, in record time: it took builders and other services 4 years to bring to life the plans of Norman Foster, Michel Virlajo and architects from the Eiffage group.

The road surface of the Millau Bridge, like its project itself, is innovative: in order to avoid deformation of expensive metal surfaces, which will be quite difficult to repair in the future, scientists had to invent an ultra-modern asphalt concrete formula. The metal sheets are quite strong, but their weight, relative to the entire gigantic structure, can be called insignificant (“only” 36,000 tons). The coating had to protect the canvas from deformation (be “soft”) and at the same time meet all the requirements of European standards (resist deformation, be used for a long time without repair and prevent so-called “shifts”). It is simply impossible for even the most cutting-edge technologies to solve this problem in a short time. During the construction of the bridge, the composition of the roadway was developed for almost three years. By the way, the asphalt concrete of the Millau Bridge is recognized as unique of its kind.

The Millau Bridge - harsh criticism

Despite the lengthy development of the plan, well-calibrated solutions and big names of architects, the construction of the viaduct initially aroused sharp criticism. By and large, in France any construction is subject to sharp criticism, just remember the Sacré-Coeur Basilica and the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Opponents of the construction of the viaduct said that the bridge would be unreliable due to shifts at the bottom of the gorge; will never pay off; the use of such technologies on the A75 highway is unjustified; the bypass route will reduce the flow of tourists to the city of Millau. This is only a small part of the slogans that ardent opponents of the construction of a new viaduct addressed to the government. They were listened to and every negative call to the public was answered with an authoritative explanation. To be fair, we note that the opponents, which included influential associations, did not calm down and continued their protests almost the entire time the bridge was being built.

The Millau Bridge is a revolutionary solution

The construction of the most famous French viaduct, according to the most conservative estimates, took at least 400 million euros. Naturally, this money had to be returned, so travel on the viaduct was made to be paid: the point where you can pay for “a journey through the miracle of modern industry” is located near the small village of Saint-Germain. More than 20 million euros were spent on its construction alone. At the toll station there is a huge covered canopy, the construction of which took 53 giant beams. In the “season”, when the flow of cars along the viaduct sharply increases, additional lanes are used, of which, by the way, there are 16 at the “passport”. At this point there is also electronic system, allowing you to track the number of cars on the bridge and their tonnage. By the way, the Eiffage concession will last only 78 years, which is exactly how long the state allocated to the group to cover its expenses.

Most likely, Eiffage will not even be able to recover all the funds spent on construction. However, such unfavorable financial forecasts are viewed with a grain of irony within the group. Firstly, Eiffage is far from poor, and secondly, the Millau Bridge served as further proof of the genius of its specialists. By the way, talk that the companies that built the bridge will lose money is nothing more than fiction. Yes, the bridge was not built at state expense, but after 78 years, if the bridge does not bring profit to the group, France will be obliged to pay the losses. But if “Eiffage manages to earn 375 million euros on the Millau Viaduct earlier than in 78 years, the bridge will become the property of the country free of charge. The concession period will last, as mentioned above, 78 years (until 2045), but the guarantee for your majestic bridge the group of companies gave it for 120 years.

Traveling along the four-lane highway of the Millau Viaduct does not cost exorbitant sums, as many might think.. Driving a passenger car along the viaduct, the height of the main support of which is higher than the Eiffel Tower itself (!) and only slightly lower than the Empire State Building, will cost only 6 euros (in the “season” 7.70 euros). But for two-axle cargo vehicles, the fare will be 21.30 euros; for three-axles - almost 29 euros. Even motorcyclists and people traveling on the viaduct on scooters have to pay: the cost of traveling along the Millau Bridge will cost them 3 euros and 90 euro cents.

The Millau Viaduct Bridge comprises an eight-span steel roadway supported by eight steel pillars. The weight of the roadway is 36,000 tons, width - 32 meters, length - 2460 meters, depth - 4.2 meters. The length of all six central spans is 342 meters, and the two outer ones are 204 meters long each. The road has a slight gradient of 3%, descends from the south side to the north, its curvature with a radius of 20 km in order to enable drivers to best review. Traffic flows in two lanes in all directions. The height of the columns ranges from 77 to 246 m, the diameter of one of the longest columns is 24.5 meters at the base, and at the road surface - eleven meters. Each base has sixteen sections. One section weighs 2 thousand 230 tons. The sections were assembled on site from individual parts. Each separate part sections have a mass of sixty tons, seventeen meters in length and four meters in width. Each support must support pylons having a height of 97 meters. First, the columns were assembled, which were together with temporary supports, then parts of the canvas were moved along the supports using jacks. The jacks were controlled from satellites. The canvases moved six hundred millimeters in four minutes.

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12-05-2014, 18:16
Many people, when planning a trip, first of all wonder what they will be able to see at their final destination. Of course, the choice of attractions for sightseeing is a matter of taste - some people prefer it, while others prefer ancient mansions, some like city panoramas, and others prefer natural landscapes. However, there are attractions that you can’t help but visit if you find yourself nearby, they are so unusual, interesting and famous - the Statue of Liberty, the Colosseum, the Moscow Kremlin, the Eiffel Tower. Often such landmarks are bridges. Take, for example, the Golden Gate Bridge in American San Francisco - no matter what you come to this hospitable Californian city, you will definitely visit this bridge, or at least look at it from afar. This article is dedicated to the bridges that you should definitely see if you are nearby - we will tell you about the highest and longest bridges in the world. So, let's start with the high ones.

The highest bridges in the world

In fourth place in height among the tallest bridges in the world was Chinese Sutong Bridge across the Yangtze River. This cable-stayed bridge, connecting the cities of Changsha and Nantong, has a height of 306 meters. The bridge consists of two pylons and has a total length of 8,206 thousand meters. The bridge looks especially impressive from the water. There is even a tour dedicated to the bridge in Changsha, which includes both viewing the bridge from the river and a trip along the bridge itself.

The third place in the list of the highest bridges in the world is Russian Bridge in Vladivostok, which connects Cape Novosilsky and the Nazimov Peninsula. Open first In August 2012, the bridge shifted the Sutun Bridge, previously ranked second in the world in height, to third place, since the height of its pylons is 324 meters. At the same time, the total length of the bridge is small - about 1.886 thousand meters.

Second place in the list of the highest bridges in the world is Millau Viaduct. This French cable-stayed bridge structure is the last link of the Paris-Beziers A75 highway. Opened in 2004, the bridge was the tallest bridge in the world for five years - the height of its supports is 343 meters, which is 20 meters higher than the main French landmark, the Eiffel Tower. The length of the bridge is 2.46 thousand meters.

In honorable first place in the world in height is located Chinese bridge over Siduhe. This unusual suspension bridge, located in Hubei province, is part of the G50 high-speed highway between Shanghai and Chongqing. The maximum height of the structure above the ground is about 496 meters. Opened in mid-November 2009, this bridge has become a favorite tourist attraction.

The longest bridges in the world

The fourth place is taken by Thai Bang Na Highway, which, in fact, is not exactly a bridge, but rather a bridge-type structure similar to an overpass. The length of the highway located in Bangkok is about 54 thousand meters. It is noteworthy that the bridge, opened in 2000, until 2010 was the most long bridge in the world.

Third place, and again China. Railway Bridge via Wei part of the Zhengzhou High Speed railway, connecting Xi'an and Zhengzhou. The length of the one opened in February 2010 is about 79.73 thousand meters. Notably, this bridge crosses the Wei River twice, as well as many other water bodies.

Second place Tianjin Viaduct. Like the previous bridge, it is part of a high-speed railway. It is part of the Beijing-Tianjin Intercity Railway and the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed ​​Railway. The length of the bridge is 113.7 thousand meters. The bridge was opened for train traffic in 2011.

First place - longest bridge in the world. Surprisingly, the first line of the rating went to the Chinese bridge - opened in 2011 Danyang-Kunshan Viaduct, like the previous bridge on the list, is part of the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway. The bridge, whose length is a record 164.8 thousand meters, connects Shanghai and Nanjing. In addition to railway lines, the bridge also accommodates several lanes for road traffic. Of course, given such a length, there is no talk of any excursions along this bridge, and it will also not be possible to select the most suitable viewpoint. But you can ride across the bridge - at great speed and in comfort.

Of course, this list does not include all the grandiose bridges in the world, especially since new records are set in this area almost every year. But all the bridges presented in our rating are worth looking at, even if they cease to be the tallest and longest, giving way to newer, even taller and longer bridges.

Video about the largest bridges in the world

Bridges play an important role in the development of the economic situation within the state and simply serve as a means of movement across large waterways. Some of these structures amaze with their grandeur, which is manifested not only in their length, but also in their height.

The highest bridges in the world They can even compete with some of the largest skyscrapers. They rise several hundred meters above the ground and impress with their unsurpassed size.

Height 244.3 m

Opens the top ten tallest bridges in the world (PRC), built in China. The height of the structure was 244.3 meters, and its total length was slightly less than 1.5 kilometers. Construction of Jiujiang Fuyin lasted since 2009 and was finally completed at the end of 2013. The structure is one of the longest cable-stayed bridges with a span of 818 meters.

Height 247.5 m

Ninth place goes to the cable-stayed bridge (China), which provides high-speed traffic across the Yangtze River. The height of the structure is 247.5 meters, and its length is more than two kilometers. Construction of the bridge lasted for four years. The project began in 2005, and in 2009 Zhongxian Huyu was put into operation.

Height 254 m

(Denmark) is one of the highest bridges and the third longest span in the world. It crosses the Great Belt Strait, connecting two islands - Zealand and Funen. The height of the structure is 254 meters, and its length is about seven kilometers. Construction of the bridge lasted for ten years. It was designed in 1888, but it was put into operation only in 1998. The government spent more than 21 billion Danish crowns on the construction. The bridge structure has great importance for the state, as it helps to increase passenger and freight traffic, and also reduces the crossing time between the two main islands of Denmark by more than an hour. Every day, the bridge is crossed by more than 27 thousand transport units.

Height 265 m

(China) - one of the highest bridges in the world, the operation of which began in 2010. The height of the structure was 265 meters, and the total length was about 5.5 kilometers. The building is one of the ten largest cable-stayed bridges. Jinggui is located on the Yangtze River and became the connecting link of two Chinese provinces - Yueyang and Hubei. It took several years to build it. The bridge has three wide lanes in each direction.

Height 270 m

(South Korea), built in 2012, became the sixth tallest bridge in existence today. The project was carried out to connect Gwangyang and Yeosu. It is part of the road to industrial complex Yeosu city. The height of the building was 270 meters. The bridge got its name in honor of one of the most respected people among the Koreans - Admiral Lee Sun-sin. The structure was designed by Yooshin corporation, and its construction was undertaken by Daelim Industrial Co in 2007. Total length The structure was more than two kilometers long and its width was 27 meters.

Height 298 m

(Hong Kong) took fifth place in the list of the tallest bridges in the world. Its opening took place in 2009. The structure crosses the Rambler Strait, which is located in Khua Chhin district. Stonecutters is part of the highway linking Chek Lap Kok Airport to mainland Hong Kong. It connects two islands - Stonecutters and Tsing-I. The height of its main tower supports is 298 meters, which allows it to occupy fifth position in the ranking. The length of Stonecutters is 1.5 kilometers and its width is 26 meters. It cost $365 million to build Hong Kong's tallest bridge.

Height 298.3 m

(Japan) is not only the tallest, but also the longest bridge in the world. A suspension bridge crossing the Akashi Strait connects the city of Kobe on the island of Honshu with the city of Awaji, located on the island of the same name. The height of 298.3 meters and the length of about 4 kilometers allowed the structure to enter the Guinness Book of Records twice. Its opening took place in 1998. The government began to think about erecting the structure in the 50th year of the last century, but the project was implemented only in the 98th. One of the reasons for the start of construction was the death of several hundred people who drowned during the ferry crossing.

Height 306 m

The cable-stayed bridge (China) opens the top three tallest bridge structures built by man. Sutong is the main bridge that connects the cities of Suzhou and Nantong across the Yangtze River in China. The purpose of its creation was to improve economic relations between the two connected metropolises. The construction of the 306-meter structure took about 920 million US dollars. The total length of Sutun is 8 kilometers. Its opening took place in 2008.

Height 320.9 m

(Russia) ranks second in the list of tallest bridge structures. Its location is Vladivostok, where it stretches across the Eastern Bosphorus Strait, connecting the Nazimov Peninsula with Cape Novosilsky. Construction of the 320.9-meter-high structure began in 2008, and at the time of its creation (2012), the structure had the largest span in the world (more than 1 kilometer) among cable-stayed bridges. Total length The construction was a little more than 3 kilometers long, and the width was 29.5 m. The general designer of the project was NPO Mostovik. The construction of the Russian Bridge cost about $1 billion. The main purpose of constructing the bridge was the development of the island's infrastructure and the construction of large real estate projects by the Vladivostok authorities.

Height 343 m

(France) - the highest and beautiful bridge in the world. The height of the structure is 343 meters, which is slightly higher than the Eiffel Tower. The Viaduct crosses the Tarn River, which is located near the town of Millau. The bridge is part of the route and provides high-speed traffic from Paris to the city of Beziers, where the main educational institutions France. The Viaduct project was created by the French engineer Michel Virlogeau, who gained fame after working on the Normandy Bridge project, considered one of the longest in the world. The length of the French building was 2.5 kilometers and the width was 32 m. Construction of the Viaduct was completed in 2004. The Millau Bridge is included in the list of the main attractions of France. The bridge structure managed to enter the Guinness Book of Records three times: it has the highest support in the world, the highest road surface and is the record holder for the height of the support of a bridge with a pylon.

There is an amazing miracle of engineering and design in France - the famous Millau Viaduct (in the French original Viaduc de Millau). This is the highest road bridge at least in Europe, and at most in the world (it all depends on some technical aspects of determining a specific height). It is built using a cable-stayed system - that is, the bridge actually hangs in the air, but is supported by a special structure of rigid supports and flexible steel cables.

Where is the Millau Bridge?

The viaduct can be seen 4 kilometers southwest of the city of Millau (hence the name of the bridge itself) in the south of France in the Occitanie region. It is laid over the Tarn River valley and is part of the final section of the A75 highway connecting Paris with the city of Beziers on the Mediterranean coast.

Geographic coordinates 44.078179, 3.022670

General description

The Millau Viaduct is a fantastic sight. This bridge looks very light and airy. Its length is 2,460 meters. It has 2 lanes in both directions. The total width is 32 meters, this is equivalent to 17 adult men with arms outstretched, as shown in the picture below.

The bridge is amazing in its size. As much as 343 meters in height, which is 19 meters higher than the famous Eiffel Tower. It is worth noting that this absolute indicator the height of the largest support together with the pylon.

A small technical digression: The support is what goes BEFORE the bridge from below, and the pylon is upper part already OVER the bridge.

The maximum height of the road surface is 270 meters above the valley, and its thickness is 4.2 meters.

The viaduct was built using cable-stayed technology and is supported on 7 supports with a height of 77 to 245 meters. Each of the supports is installed in 4 wells 15 meters deep and 5 meters in diameter.

The height of all pylons is the same - 87 meters. Each has 11 pairs of heavy-duty steel cables (usually called cables), capable of withstanding a load of 900 to 1,200 tons each (depending on the length, the shorter the cable, the more load it can withstand). There are 154 guys in total. This safety margin is quite justified, since the weight of the steel frame of the road is 36,000 tons (which is 4 times the weight of the same Eiffel Tower).

The Millau Bridge is not straight, but has a slight bend in horizontal plane with a radius of about 20 km, and a slope of 3.025% from south to north.

Don't miss the steepest street in the world. Its slope is such that losing your balance there is extremely dangerous.
The bridge has 8 spans. The outer ones are 204 meters long, and the remaining 6 are 342 meters long.
During construction, 85,000 cubic meters of concrete were used with a total weight of 206,000 tons, while the total weight of the bridge is about 290,000 tons.

Estimated daily traffic flow of up to 25,000 vehicles.
The developer gives a 120-year guarantee for the viaduct.

Cost of work and concession agreement

The total cost of the project is 400 million euros. To raise funds, the French government decided on a concession agreement.

Eiffage won the tender and financed the construction in exchange for the right to collect tolls for 75 years, until 2080 (this is the principle of the concession). But if the concession generates high revenues, the French government may take over management of the bridge sooner.

History of the Millau Viaduct

The construction of the A75 highway and the viaduct became necessary due to the increase in traffic flow along the No. 9 highway. Usually in the summer there were large congestions on it, because this route was chosen by the majority of travelers heading to neighboring Spain.

Before the Millau Bridge was put into operation, all cars passed through the city of the same name and periodically created a traffic collapse there. And this is dissatisfaction local residents, and increased pollution environment. In addition, large traffic jams practically negated all the advantages of the A75 highway.

Initially, 4 options for the final section of the A75 highway were considered, but ultimately they settled on the construction of a bridge in the area of ​​the city of Millau.

The development and implementation of the project was entrusted to engineer Michel Virlogeau (France) and architect Noman Foster (England).

Sequence of events

• In 1987, initial sketches were developed
• In mid-autumn 1991, a decision was made on the specific location for the construction of the bridge.
• In July 1996, the cable-stayed technology for its construction was approved
• The final approval of the concession occurred in October 2001
• The ceremonial laying of the so-called “first stone” took place on December 14, 2001
• In January 2002, construction of the foundation for the supports began, and in September of the same year, the bridge deck was already installed
• Construction of the supports was completed in November 2003.
• Roads from the south and north sides came close to each other on May 28, 2004, and the joining of the roadway was immediately announced, although in fact this took several more days
• The lifting of the pylons was completed in mid-summer 2004
• Testing of the bridge under a load of 920 tons began in November 2004
• The grand opening took place on December 14, 2004 with the participation of Jacques Chirac (at that time the country's president). But the bridge was opened for traffic only 2 days later. It is noteworthy that the bridge was opened ahead of schedule (it was planned to open on January 10, 2005)

Technical features of the Millau Bridge

Such a stunning structure has many interesting technical solutions and features.

Guys

Special attention should be paid to steel ropes – shrouds. The metal cable has triple protection against rust.

• galvanic treatment
• protective wax coating
• additional polyethylene extruded coating

Special ridges in the shape of a spiral run along the outer surface of the ropes along the entire length. This is done to prevent water from quickly flowing down them. Without this technology, strong vibrations in the cables may occur, especially in rain and strong winds.

Road surface

The steel frame of the roadway is covered on top with a special type of asphalt concrete. It took 2 whole years of research to find the optimal formula for the coating, which is based on mineral resin.

The material turned out to be soft enough to adapt to metal deformations without creating cracks. But it also meets the traditional requirements for road surfaces, such as wear resistance, tire grip, density, lack of sagging and rutting.

A total of 9,000 tons of special asphalt concrete and 1,000 tons of standard asphalt concrete were used.

Electrical and security systems

Such a gigantic structure contains tens of kilometers of various electrical cables. There are as many as 30 km of high-voltage cables, 20 km of fiber optics and 10 km of low-voltage cables. The viaduct has 357 telephone points located in different parts of the bridge. This is done for quick communication of service teams both with the control center and among themselves.

The Millau Viaduct is literally strewn with various sensors and monitoring systems for monitoring the condition of the bridge. This entire set of monitoring equipment is designed to monitor the slightest vibrations and shifts of the entire structure and its individual areas. The devices measure temperature, changes in slope, wind speed and direction, as well as a host of other parameters.

On the largest support, the deformation of as many as 12 strain gauges is measured. They are able to detect a shift of literally a micrometer. Moreover, up to 100 measurements are carried out per second. All data on the condition of the viaduct flows to the control and management center located in the area of ​​the toll station.

Is the Millau Bridge really the highest?

The viaduct has a lot of competitors. There are designs much taller and wider, but each has its own BUT. These are mainly measurement methods and technical features.

For example, in Colorado (one of the US states) there is the Royal Gorge Bridge (in the original Royal Gorge Bridge). It lies at an altitude of 321 meters relative to the surface of the earth, BUT it is a bridge for pedestrians only.

Now the Millau Bridge is inferior in height to the road directly to the Chinese bridge on the Syduhe River. Its height is 472 meters above the gorge. And there is a “BUT” here - the supports of this bridge, like other high bridges, lie on the hills, and not at the bottom of the gorge being crossed. But the Millau Viaduct has supports installed right at the bottom of the gorge. Therefore, from a constructive point of view, it is the Millau Bridge that has the right to bear the title of the tallest in the world.

Best places to view the Millau Viaduct

Of course, such a landmark bridge is clearly visible from afar, but there are places from which it looks most impressive.

Cape Coast Brunas

Excellent overview of the viaduct and its surroundings. From Millau, take the D 992 towards Albi/Toulouse. At the village of Krissel, turn onto Brunasa Street and walk 5 km along a narrow road to the observation deck.

Geographic coordinates 44.070574, 3.058249

Luzenson

About a kilometer in a straight line west of the village of Saint-Georges de Luzençon there is an observation deck with an excellent view of the Millau Bridge. Follow signs for Albi/Toulouse to Saint-Georges de Luzençon. Then follow the signs to observation deck Luzenson.

Geographic coordinates 44.064485, 2.969102

Village of Peire

It is located on the banks of the River Tarn just 2 kilometers west of the viaduct. Travel there from Millau along the D 41.

Geographic coordinates 44.091668, 2.999611

Rest area at the northern edge of the Millau Viaduct

This observation deck offers unusual species bridge. From Millau, take the RD991 heading north. On roundabout Berger, 7 km from the town of Millau, 4th exit towards the recreation area. Then walk about 500 meters to the south.

Geographic coordinates 44.091944, 3.022049

Lerouge Bridge

This bridge is now located on the site of the "old bridge" (Pont Vieux), which was washed away by a flood in 1758. From here you have an excellent view of the Millau Viaduct. Especially at sunset. This viewpoint lies near the city center.

Geographic coordinates 44.092823, 3.075350

Terrace of Beffroy de Millau

This is the bell tower known as the Tower of the Kings of Aragon. The 17th-century octagonal tower rises 42 meters above the center of the old town. Visits are open from mid-June to mid-September. For more information, visit the Millau Tourist Center, located opposite the tower.

Geographic coordinates 44.097992, 3.078939

Millau Viaduct and sports

The bridge is not intended for pedestrians, but races still take place across it.

In December 2004, 19,000 runners were able to run across the bridge, but only to the first pylon. They were not allowed further, since the bridge was still closed to traffic.

May 13, 2007 - 10,496 runners finally crossed the Millau Viaduct. The total distance of the race was 23.7 kilometers
Since then, races have been held here every 2 years, during which the bridge is closed to traffic for 3-4 hours.

To learn more about the viaduct, watch the following video. Ignore Millau's signature. This is just a literal translation French name Millau Bridge.