World Heritage Photos

Vizcaya Bridge: The bridge is situated in Getxo, near Bilbao in Spain. The Vizcaya Bridge spans the River Nervión and was designed by a pupil of Gustave Eiffel and built in 1893. This bridge is regarded as one of the notable architectural iron constructions of the Industrial Revolution. The bridge was the solution for connecting the towns of Portugalete and Getxo, without disrupting the maritime traffic to the Port of Bilbao.

This unique iron construction is the oldest transporter bridge in the world and remains in use today. The bridge transports pedestrians, cars, cyclists and even trucks across the River Nervión in a hanging gondola.

We crossed the River Nervión by car in the hanging gondola of the Vizcaya Bridge. This iconic bridge is also known as 'Puente Colgante' (the Hanging Bridge). The Vizcaya Bridge gained status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006. Photo Art: Vizcaya Bridge 

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   The Vizcaya Bridge represents the first successful combination of iron technology and steel cables, a pioneering method of constructing iron bridges, which was later emulated throughout the world. As a transporter bridge, also known as an aerial bridge or ferry bridge, it uses a huge gondola to transport cyclists, pedestrians and vehicles. Only during severe storms, the ferry service is suspended and the gondola secured to the quay. This unique structure was designed by the engineer Alberto Palacio, a pupil of Gustave Eiffel. The Vizcaya Bridge was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2006.

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   The hanging gondola of the Vizcaya Bridge. This outstanding bridge has been in use for more than 130 years. The structure is 45 metres high, with a total length of 160 metres. This iron and steel bridge transports pedestrians and cars across the River Nervión in a hanging gondola. The gondola can carry six cars and a number of pedestrians, cyclists, and even trucks. It takes less than two minutes to cross the river. The very first gondola was made of wood and iron; it was subsequently replaced several times.

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   The Vizcaya Bridge was the most important project of the Spanish engineer Alberto Palacio; the construction was completed in 1893. The bridge is situated in the town of Getxo, 14 km north of Bilbao in Spain. The bridge is considered to be one of the most outstanding constructions of the Industrial Revolution in Europe and one of the greatest engineering achievements of the 19th century. This monumental structure is the oldest transporter bridge in the world. 

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   The Vizcaya Bridge and its gondola hovering above the River Nervión. This engineering wonder of iron and steel spans the mouth of the Nervión near the Bay of Biscay. The Vizcaya Bridge is situated in the town of Getxo, near Bilbao, in Spain. The bridge was constructed in 1893 and is also known as the 'Puente Colgante' (Hanging Bridge). Today, the bridge is still in use; the service was only interrupted during the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939).

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   The Vizcaya Bridge is widely considered a true engineering wonder of the 19th century. This innovative structure provided the solution for connecting the Spanish towns of Portugalete and Getxo without disrupting the busy maritime traffic to the Port of Bilbao, near the Bay of Biscay. It was constructed using iron, which was extracted from the mines in the vicinity of Getxo. The mining industry increased the prosperity in the Biscay region and turned this iconic bridge into a powerful symbol of a new era. Nowadays, the suspended gondola is computer-controlled and propelled by a trolley, an ingenious wheeled carriage that runs along rails on top of the bridge.

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   During the Spanish Civil War, the upper section of the Vizcaya Bridge was dynamited. From his house in Portugalete, the engineer Alberto Palacio, the designer of this unique iron structure, saw his masterpiece partially destroyed. The bridge was restored four years later, but Alberto Palacio passed away a few months before the restoration was completed. The Vizcaya Bridge was the first transporter bridge in the world entirely built of iron and steel; one of the reasons the bridge was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site was its innovative design.

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   A number of cars wait in line to cross the River Nervión in the hanging gondola of the Vizcaya Bridge. At the end of the long queue is our 1974 Mini Authi, an iconic classic Mini built under licence in Spain, in which we were travelling from the Netherlands to Portugal. We had never crossed a river in this way before; transporting our Mini in the hanging gondola was a truly unique experience. The Vizcaya Bridge gained status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006.