When man built bridges, nobody even thought of the heights it could reach. Making the impossible, possible, man conquered the places that were said to be impossible, and some of them are really scary apart from the wonder they are.
Some of the bridges are as high as 10,000 above the sea level and do not worry, there are many on the list which are less than 400 feet above the sea level, but their sheer length makes up for the height they may lack. We can tell you that one step on these bridges and your legs will become jelly and there will be a shiver down your spine.
Did you know that there is an official word for the condition where a person is scared of bridges? It is called Gephyrophobia and it is said that some people can be so scared that they may change their travel route just to avoid the bridges. If this was not enough, you will also shake hands with Acrophobia, the fear/ phobia of heights.
Let us take a look at the top 20 scariest bridges in the world.
PS: they are not ranked.
1. Titlis Cliff Walk, Switzerland
Built in December 2012, it offers some of the best views you can get in Switzerland. On a clear day, it is said, that people can see the glacier 1,500 below them and also parts of Italy. It took 5 months to be built thanks to the weather conditions. However, the bridge can withstand winds of upto 120 miles/ hour which is over 193 kilometres/ hour.
Location: Engelberg, Swiss Alps
Height: Around 10,000 feet (over
3,000 metres)
Length: Over 320 feet (around 100
metres)
2. Peak Walk, Switzerland
A suspension bridge which was built for the travellers connects the peaks of two mountains. The bridge was officially opened in October of 2014 and came with a cost of over GBP 10 lakh and can accommodate 300 people at once.
Location: Vaud, Switzerland
Height: 9,800 feet (3,000 metres)
Length: Over 350 feet (over 100 metres)
3. Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, China
Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge when pronounced in its traditional Chinese languages translates to “Cloud Sky Crossing”. The suspension footbridge is amongst the scariest bridges in all of the world. Opened in August of 2016, the bottom of the bridge is complete glass and that too a seethrough glass, so the fear get right into you as you do not have you look over the fence to see where you are standing, one peak below and people become toddles and get down on their knees and palms of their hands. This bridge, too, connects two cliffs and can carry upto 800 people at once.
Location: Zhangjiajie, Hunan
Height: Around 1,000feet (300 metres)
Length: Almost 1,500 feet (over 400 metres)
4. Chagzam Bridge, Arunachal Pradesh
Built between 1420 and 1420 was built by the architect called Tangton Gyalpo was the disciple of the very 1st Dalai Lama. This bridge was built covering a huge distance when others in Europe covered just 20 metres at that time, which makes it a wonder.
Location: Mukto Village, Arunachal Pradesh
Height: Around 1,000feet (300 metres)
Length: Over 300 feet (100 metres)
5. Langkawi Sky Bridge, Malaysia
Langkawi Sky Bridge was built in 2005 and seems to be held just by an iron pole in the middle through cables. In order to reach this sky bridge, which is also amongst the scariest bridge in the world one must take Langkawi cable car which in itself is adrenaline-filled 15 minutes ride.
Location: Langkawi, Malaysia
Height: Over 2,700feet (over 650 metres)
Length: Over 400 feet (125 metres)
6. Hanging Bridge Of Ghasa, Nepal
A hanging bridge that was urged by the farmers to deliver the produce to the families and markets. Believe us or not, the bridge is used by animals like cows, donkeys, and goats just as much as humans. Even the reason why it was first built was to ease the congestion caused by cattle in the area.
Location: Ghasa, Nepal
Height: Almost 450feet (over 130 metres)
Length: Around 1,500 feet (over 450 metres)
7. Brave Man’s Bridge, China
Originally called the Haohan Qiao bridge is situated in the Shiniuzhai National Park. This is another glass bridge in the country which makes the legs tremble of anyone walking over it as the person sees what great dip is right underneath him. The bridge connects two peaks and was the glass panels are 25 times stronger than the normal glass, so it is pretty safe.
Location: Hunan, China
Height: Almost 600feet (over 180 metres)
Length: Around 1000 feet (300 metres)
8. Royal Gorge Bridge, Colorado
A bridge that can carry both vehicles and pedestrians was built in 1929 in just 6 months. Built above the Arkansas River held the record of being the highest bridge for over 70 years but still remains the highest bridge in the United States, yeah it’s placed higher than the Golden Gate Bridge making it one of the scariest bridges in the world.
Location: Fremont County, Colorado
Height: Over 950feet (291 metres)
Length: Around 900 feet (268 metres)
9. Sochi Skybridge, Russia
A bridge over the Krasnaya Polyana valley can carry a maximum of 30,000 people at a given time. The bridge also has a bungee jumping site with lets you dive 650 feet below. It was opened in 2014, the same time when the Olympics were held in Sochi, Russia.
Location: Sochi, Russia
Height: 680feet (207 metres)
Length: Over 1,400 feet (439 metres)
10. Chesapeake Bay Bridge, US
Built in 1952, it is often termed as the scariest bridge of America. The official name of the bridge is Gov, William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge. The bridge carries a daily traffic of over 60,000 vehicles. It is amongst the longest continuous over water steel structure in the world. In 1973, another bridge was added parallel to it for the vehicles driving in the opposite direction. It may not be the highest bridge but the sheer length sends chills down the spine.
Location: Maryland, The United States of America
Height: 186feet (around 57 metres)
Length: 22,790 feet (6,956 metres or 6.9 km)
11. Hussaini Hanging Bridge, Pakistan
In the northern region of Pakistan, there is a bridge that is so scary that even the bravest of the bunch let it pass. The bridge is very old and narrow and is even missing many of the wooden planks that were there. And when you go there, you see the original one that is survived by few of its elements left in place. One slip and there will be nothing between you and the Hunza River.
Location: Hunza, Pakistan
Height: Around 120feet (over 35 metres)
Length: Almost 650 feet (6,956 metres or 6.9 km)
12. Capilano Suspension Bridge, Canada
Opened for public in 1889, is one of the oldest bridges on the list. The bridge was built to make crossing the Capilano River easy for the visitors and draws over 12 lakh tourists every year. The bridge is owned privately and charges an admission fee.
Location: North Vancouver, Canada
Height: 230feet (70 metres)
Length: 460 feet (140 metres)
13. Trift Bridge, Switzerland
A suspension footbridge situated in the Alps gives breathtaking views of the surroundings and the Trift Glacier. By the look of it, people get scared that a strong wind blow will toss them over the thin bridge, however, as a matter of fact, the bridge is quite safe.
Location: Swiss Alps, Switzerland
Height: Over 325feet (100 metres)
Length: Nearly 590 feet (almost 180 metres)
14. Kusma Bungy Footbridge, Nepal
Opened in 2019, the Kusma Bungy footbridge is amongst the tallest and longest bridges in the world and also offers bungee jumping which is one of the tallest bungee jumping sites in all of the world. The design of this bridge is quite similar to that of Sochi Skybridge in Russia, also mentioned above. The high oof the bridge is what turn the legs into jelly, and people are often seen returning back after walking 20-30 steps on this bridge.
Location: Kusma, Prabat, Nepal
Height: Over 650feet (200 metres)
Length: Over 1,600 feet (almost 500 metres)
15. Sidu River Bridge, China
The bridge that was opened for commercial use in 2009 is built over Sidu River from where it derives its name. The bridge connects two mountains it is the second tallest bridge in the world. The architecture of the bridge is what makes it all the more scary as there is no pillar except at both ends which connects the bridge to the ground.
Location: Badong County, Hubei, China
Height: Over 2,950 feet (900 metres)
Length: Over 1,600 feet (almost 500 metres)
16. Millau Viaduct Bridge, France
A 4 lane bridge with was opened in December 2004 is designed to last for 120 years and was built in just 3 years given the length and complexity of the project. It is the tallest bridge in the world with the maximum height of pylon recorded at 336.4 metres or 1,104 feet. What makes it one of the scariest bridges in the world is the length.
Location: Millau-Creissels, France
Height: Almost 900 feet (270 metres, height of the pylon is 336.4 metres)
Length: Over 8,000 feet (almost 2,500 metres)
17. Eshima Ohashi Bridge, Japan
This is a bridge which was made popular by the social media platforms. Built in 2004 it took 7 years to complete. What makes this bridge scary is the inclination, on one end it has a slope of 5.1% and on the other side of 6.1% which may not seem much but the normal gradient is around 0.8%.
Location: Shimane, Japan
Height: Around 150 feet (almost 45 metres)
Length: Over 820 feet (250 metres, Total length is 1,700 metres)
18. Ojuela Bridge, Mexico
Also knows as the Puente de Ojuela is a suspension bridge which was initially built in 1898 and restored in 1991 as a tourist attraction. The journey to the bridge is of 7 kilometres and can be covered in a car, however, people who are new to driving shall not go there as it a single road and often you will be forced to take your car in reverse and there is nothing between you and the valley.
Location: Mapimi, Durango, Mexico
Height: Around 360 feet (over 100 metres)
Length: Over 1,000 feet (almost 320 metres)
19. Q’eswachaka Bridge, Peru
Pronounced as Keshwa Chaca bridge, it is said to be the last of the examples of Incan Gandwoven Bridges in the world. The bridge is made out of woven grass. This bridge is said to have been blessed with traditional Incan ceremony which is the reason it is still in extremely good condition. Though the length and height of the bridge are not much, the fact of the material it is made out of, makes it one of the most daunting distance to cover with all the threats associated with it.
Location: Cusco, Malaysia
Height: 60feet (over 18 metres)
Length: Over 100 feet (36 metres)
20. Tibetan Bridge, Italy
The bridge in Claviere, Italy holds the record of being the longest single-span bridge in the entire world. What makes the walk on the bridge scary is the fact that there are gaps between the steps. But do not worry, unlike Hussaini Hanging Bridge, Pakistan, here you will be locked in to a zip line with a harness, but still the faint-hearted do not take a walk here no matter how much their peers try.
Location: Viale Genevris, Claviere, Italy
Height: Almost 400feet (over 120 metres) Length: Over 1,300 feet (400 metres)
