Humans have been building bridges since at least 4000 BCE, and since then, spans have become ever more ambitious. As some of the most challenging construction projects on the planet, they require careful consideration of gravity, tension, compression, and the landscape in which they are built. But when complete, bridges can become not only feats of engineering but also stunning architectural landmarks that stand the test of time. Here are seven of the world’s most unique bridges you can drive across. 

Millau Viaduct – France

The Millau Viaduct is the tallest bridge not only in France but also Europe — the Eiffel Tower would fit comfortably beneath it. Reaching 1,130 feet tall, the cable-stayed bridge, which carries the A75 motorway that links the city of Clermont-Ferrand with the towns of Béziers and Narbonne, spans the Gorges du Tarn (Tarn Gorge) in southern France.

Its elegant and graceful design was the vision of British architect Sir Norman Foster, who collaborated with French engineer Michel Virlogeux to build the incredible structure from 2001 to 2004. The thin and slightly curved steel road bridge rests on just seven slim pillars, touching the ground in only nine places.

Laguna Garzón Bridge – Uruguay

Authorities in Uruguay approached architect Rafael Viñoly to create a bridge as an alternative to ferry crossing over Laguna Garzón. The ferry could only transport vehicles across the water in calm weather during the day. But since the coastal lagoon on the Atlantic had a fragile ecosystem crucial for birdlife, a bridge couldn’t interfere.

After 15 months of construction and an investment of roughly $11 million, the bridge was unveiled in December 2015. But this is no ordinary structure. The bridge uses as few pillars as possible but most impressively, has a circular design to deter drivers from speeding. Pedestrians can also access the bridge to take in the extraordinary views and fish in the central pond.

Confederation Bridge – Canada

Even sturdy bridges can still create white-knuckle experiences for drivers. The Confederation Bridge connects the Canadian provinces of Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick over the Northumberland Strait. This is the longest bridge spanning ice water in the world, sitting roughly 197 feet above sea level at its highest point.

For five months during the winter, the water flowing beneath the bridge is filled with chunks of ice. It’s so serious that the bridge’s piers have breakers to prevent any serious damage from ice crashing into them. As if that’s not enough, wind gusts are dangerously common due to the bridge’s location on open water. As a consequence, the Confederation Bridge website monitors and provides real-time wind conditions 24 hours a day.

Tower Bridge – England

The Tower Bridge crosses the River Thames beside the Tower of London. Designed by Sir Horace Jones and built between 1886 and 1894, the span remains one of London’s most distinctive and best-loved landmarks. The river is navigable upstream of this point, so any vessel that’s too tall to fit beneath it must notify bridge personnel in advance to get the bridge raised. If watercraft fail to report their expected time of passage, the crash is likely to be headline news. The now-commissioned Spanish oil tanker Monte Urquiola hit the bridge three times in the span of 10 years.

The Tower Bridge is what’s known as a bascule bridge (“bascule” is French for seesaw). Since 1976, oil and electricity have driven the bascules in place of steam. Visitors can see the engine rooms and machinery at work in the tower’s museum and walk across a glass floor while vehicles move below.

Eshima Ohashi Bridge – Japan

The Eshima Ohashi Bridge in Japan is considered one of the most daunting bridges to cross and is often referred to as the “Rollercoaster Bridge.” The bridge has some of the steepest gradients in the world, reaching 6.1% on one side and 5.1% on the other. But there’s a real purpose for these intense inclines.

The bridge is only a mile long and must reach a height of 144 feet so that ships can safely pass beneath it on Nakaumi lake. The bridge that Eshima Ohashi replaced had a more traditional drawbridge design, but when it was open, vehicles had to be halted in order to allow time for the boats to pass, leading to traffic jams.

Duge Beipanjiang Bridge – China

It’s no secret that China has been beefing up its infrastructure in recent years. This means there are massive construction projects and numerous new bridges around the country that currently hold world records. One of these bridges is the Duge Beipanjiang Bridge, which currently holds the title of the world’s tallest bridge. Soaring nearly 1,855 feet high — the equivalent of a 200-story skyscraper — the bridge connects Guizhou and Yunnan provinces in southeastern China and crosses the Beipanjiang Grand Valley.

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway – Louisiana

If you’re not from Louisiana, you probably first heard about the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway during Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, when it suffered serious damage. It was later repaired, and the bridge is now listed as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Historical Society.

Until 2016, the causeway was considered the longest bridge in the world until it was unseated by the Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge in China. After some contention between parties in the United States and China, Guinness created a new category to clarify any confusion. Today, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is the longest continuous bridge over water in the world — spanning 24 miles.

Covered bridges were all the rage in the 19th century. By the 1870s, there were over 10,000 of these beautiful bridges spanning rivers across America, with their thoughtfully designed covers protecting the bridges from the elements. Sadly, many covered bridges have been lost to time, weather, and neglect. Those which remain standing often convey a sense of romantic nostalgia, and they are carefully treasured by their local communities and the National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges. From coast to coast, here are 15 of the most beautiful and historic covered bridges in the country to check out on your next road trip.

Red Covered Bridge – Princeton, Illinois

The sign painted about the Red Covered Bridge in Princeton, Illinois, is a throwback to what life was like when it was built in 1863. It reads, “Five dollars fine for driving more than twelve horses, mules, or cattle at one time or for leading any beast faster than a walk on or across this bridge.” The Red Covered Bridge, located about two hours west of Chicago, is both the oldest and the longest covered bridge remaining in Illinois. It is also still open to traffic, though these days that means vehicles rather than mules or cattle. Made of wood and stone, it measures 149 feet in length and cost $3,000 to construct, equivalent to around $65,000 today.

Hyde Hall Covered Bridge – Cooperstown, New York

America’s oldest standing covered bridge is located in Glimmerglass State Park in Cooperstown, New York. The Hyde Hall Bridge was built in 1825 and crosses Shadow Brook at the northern end of Otsego Lake. It was originally built to provide access to a nearby mansion. The single-truss bridge has a span of 53 feet and follows a traditional design known as the Burr design. Hyde Hall Bridge has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1998 and is one of 33 remaining covered bridges in the state of New York.

Sachs Covered Bridge – Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has 213 covered bridges — more than any other state. Sachs Covered Bridge was built in 1852 to cross Marsh Creek, just outside of Gettysburg, and measures about 100 feet long. A little over a decade after its construction, its location meant it would serve as a shelter for both Confederate and Union troops during the pivotal three-day battle. In 1938, the Department of Highways named Sachs Bridge the state’s “most historic bridge.” In the past, the bridge was open to both vehicles and pedestrians; however, due to preservation efforts and concerns about its stability, it is now open only to pedestrians.

Colville Covered Bridge – Paris, Kentucky

The Colville Bridge, with its distinctive green and white stripes, is one of 13 covered bridges left in Kentucky. The 124-foot bridge was built from yellow poplar in 1877 to cross Hinkston Creek. In 1937, the bridge was raised to help protect it from flooding in the creek; however, record flooding 60 years later saw water levels rise several feet above the bridge’s decking, causing it to shift from the road. After careful repairs and renovations, it is once again open to vehicles. A popular site with local photographers, the Colville Bridge is believed to be haunted by multiple spirits.

Campbell’s Covered Bridge – Landrum, South Carolina

Campbell’s Bridge may be just 35 feet long, but as the only covered bridge still standing in South Carolina, it is something of a state treasure. Local builder Charles Irwin Willis constructed the bridge across Beaverdam Creek and named it for then-landowner Lafayette Campbell. The red wood-and-iron bridge was a valuable addition to the local community; trips which had once taken a day to complete could now be made in little more than an hour. Campbell’s Covered Bridge is now owned by Greenville County and is on public parkland, though it has been closed to car traffic since 1980.

Humpback Bridge – Covington, Virginia

Virginia’s Allegheny County is home to a 100-foot-long covered bridge that is notable for two reasons. Not only is it the state’s oldest, but it also boasts an unusual arched shape, with its center point several feet higher than either end. Before the aptly named Humpback Bridge stood here, there were three other ill-fated bridges at this spot on Dunlap Creek. The first two were washed away by floods, and the third collapsed.

Luckily, the fourth version, built in 1857, is still going strong, and its designers, who believed the arch shape would offer better protection from floods, were correct in their assessment. After a steel bridge was built nearby in 1929, traffic over the bridge was halted, and a local farmer used the bridge for storage. A local women’s group raised funds for its restoration in the 1950s, and the bridge opened to the public as part of a park.

Roseman Covered Bridge – Winterset, Iowa

The covered bridges of Iowa have become known worldwide thanks to Robert James Waller’s novel The Bridges of Madison County and the 1995 movie of the same name. Today, the famous county has six covered bridges remaining.

The most notable is the Roseman Covered Bridge, also known as the Oak Grove Bridge. Built in 1883, the bridge measures 225 feet long. As well as being associated with Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep, the eye-catching red bridge with gleaming white rails has a haunted reputation among locals. According to legend, the bridge’s name came from an 1892 chase involving a sheriff’s posse and a man who seemingly rose up straight through the roof of the bridge and disappeared into thin air.

Horton Covered Bridge – Amnicon Falls, Wisconsin

Wisconsin’s Amnicon Falls State Park is the site of Horton Covered Bridge, named for its designer Charles M. Horton. In 1897 and 1898, he patented designs for a bowstring bridge, which he argued was stronger, longer-lasting, and easier to erect than many existing bridge designs. The bridge that bears his name originally was part of a highway, but it was moved to the nearby state park in 1930. The roof, which was not a part of Horton’s original design, was added in 1939. The waterfalls that the bridge now overlook add an extra layer to its scenic charm.

Horton Mill Bridge – Oneonta, Alabama

Not to be confused with the previously mentioned bridge with a similar name in Wisconsin, the Horton Mill Covered Bridge is one of the highest covered bridges in the country, standing 70 feet above the Black Warrior River. It is one of three covered bridges in Alabama’s Blount County. The 203-foot-long bridge was built in 1934 and underwent restoration in 1974 and again in 2013. The bridge is named for Talmedge Horton, one of its builders and part of a local gristmilling family. Beautiful latticework adorns the sides of the bridge, allowing for dramatic views down into the river gorge.

Elizabethton Covered Bridge – Elizabethton, Tennessee

Straddling the Doe River, the Elizabethton Covered Bridge debuted in 1882. Colonel Thomas Matson, who had come up with the idea for New York’s elevated railroad tracks, designed the bridge, which was hailed as an engineering feat at the time. It lived up to its reputation in 1901, when a flood destroyed all the county’s other bridges on the river. Located in Elizabethton’s downtown area, the bridge is now part of the city park, and a number of events are based around the landmark, including the Covered Bridge Days Festival in September. The locals are proud of the gleaming white bridge, and rightly so.

Felton Covered Bridge – Felton, California

The tallest covered bridge in the nation is the Felton Covered Bridge in California. Now part of a park in Santa Cruz County, the bridge is only open to pedestrians. Walking through it, you can look up to appreciate its 35-foot height and its intricate criss-cross roof design. The bridge was completed in 1893 and for years was the only route into the town of Felton. After it closed to vehicular traffic in 1937, it became a popular landmark and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

Harpersfield Covered Bridge – Ashtabula, Ohio

Built in 1868, the truss bridge in Harpersfield Township, Ohio, is one of only 16 in the U.S. that you can still drive a car across. At first glance, you might wonder why the covered wooden bridge only spans a portion of the Grand River. That’s because a severe flood in 1913 washed away a large chunk of land on one side of the bridge, leaving the 228-foot-long bridge open-ended. To reconnect it to the new riverbank, a steel span was attached. Additional renovations in the 1990s added a walkway.

Stark Bridge – Stark, New Hampshire

Unsurprisingly, covered bridges attract artists, photographers, and history enthusiasts. So when there was talk of replacing the bridge that spanned New Hampshire’s Upper Ammonoosuc River with a shiny new steel bridge in the 1950s, public outcry was so great that it convinced the people of Stark they had a landmark worth restoring.

The bridge had already experienced an eventful past. It was built in 1862 but washed away during floods in the 1890s. After the bridge was retrieved and put back in place, stronger stone foundations were installed. Further structural problems in the 1940s led to townspeople suggesting the replacement in the 1950s, but ultimately the state helped to fund restoration and repairs, and the bridge is now considered one of the prettiest in the country.

Goodpasture Bridge – Vida, Oregon

The Goodpasture Bridge, which extends 165 feet across the McKenzie River, is different from other wooden bridges due to one simple design feature: It has windows. Each side of the bridge features 10 Gothic-style louvered windows that lend the bridge a distinctive flair. Built in 1938 and named for a local farmer, Goodpasture is Oregon’s second-longest covered bridge. The state has resisted replacing it with a steel span, instead opting to invest in a $2 million overhaul and reinforcement that added LED lighting for spectacular night views. And at Christmas, the white bridge is decked out in an array of seasonal colors.

Cornish-Windsor Bridge – Cornish, New Hampshire and Windsor, Vermont

Connecting the two towns in its name, the Cornish-Windsor Bridge also links two states. Cornish is on one bank of the Connecticut River, in New Hampshire, while Windsor is on the other bank, in Vermont. When it was built in 1866, it became the fourth bridge to cross this particular spot after earlier crossings had washed away in floods. The state of New Hampshire purchased the bridge in 1935 and operated it for a period as a toll route.

During Vermont’s time as a dry state (meaning liquor sales were prohibited), the bridge was a convenient means for thirsty Vermonters to buy alcohol where it was still legal in New Hampshire. While that’s no longer an issue today, you’ll just need to remember to follow the advice at the entrance of the bridge: “Walk your horses or pay two dollars fine!”

For the quickest route to exploring the unique culture of a European city, head directly to the main square. Whether they call them squares, piazzas, praças, or plazas in the local language, these Old World spaces are usually anchored by a striking cathedral, palace, or civic building. Serving as the central hub of their cities, they have played host to countless celebrations, demonstrations, and coronations over the centuries. So, grab a bench or a café chair and get ready to take in the beauty of these five grand European city squares.

Marienplatz – Munich, Germany

Marienplatz, the central square of Munich, wouldn’t belong anywhere else but Germany. For starters, it features a charming (and perhaps slightly quirky) 260-foot mechanical clock, Rathaus-Glockenspiel, whose 43 chimes and 32 spinning mannequins reenact scenes from Munich’s history.

Two massive city halls, one dating back to the early 1300s and a newer one from the 19th century, surround the square, both laden with heavy dollops of architectural ornamentation and topped by pointy towers. You’ll also find monuments to military history here, including a central column erected to mark the end of Swedish occupation during the Thirty Years War.

In December, a bustling Christmas market takes over Marienplatz, lit by twinkling lights, with mulled wine and hand-carved wooden Nativity scenes for sale. Marienplatz, though badly damaged by Allied bombs in World War II, has been shored up and restored to its ancient role as the cultural heart of Munich. Stop by for a bit of German history and, if you time your visit to coincide with the chiming of the Glockenspiel, a bit of twirling levity with your lesson.

Praça do Comércio – Lisbon, Portugal

Like Venice’s Piazza San Marco, Lisbon’s vast Praça do Comércio is meant to impress visitors arriving by boat, a fitting entrance for the capital of a seafaring nation. One end of the praça, or plaza, opens up to the River Tagus, and the other three sides of the square are lined by a uniform and striking array of 18th-century buildings painted a brilliant shade of yellow. The line of buildings on the side of the square opposite the river is broken by a white marble triumphal arch that leads into the Baixa neighborhood of Lisbon.

Many of the world’s notable city squares were established over centuries and contain buildings of contrasting architecture and vintage. However, the Praça do Comércio was built in the decade immediately after the 1755 earthquake that leveled most of Lisbon, so the square’s elegant symmetry was by design — a symbol of stability and enduring beauty for the citizens, as well as a message to the world that the city was again open for business. Even if you enter the square on foot rather than by boat, the expansive square’s balance and grandeur still impress.

Trafalgar Square – London, England

Like the spindle on a great turntable, Nelson’s Column stands serenely in the center of Trafalgar Square while noisy London spins around it. Indeed, since 1290, this spot has been so central to the English that distances to and from the city have been measured from Trafalgar Square, or Charing Cross, as it was called at the time.

Back then, the site was a walled courtyard, part of Whitehall Palace, but architect John Nash envisioned a public gathering space for the site and began work on his plan in 1812. Trafalgar Square was finally completed in 1844, a year after the 169-foot-tall memorial to the war hero Lord Nelson was erected.

The lively square, still a regular gathering place for ceremonies, celebrations, and political demonstrations, is flanked by the National Gallery, St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church, and the Mall — a wide, tree-lined, red-paved boulevard that leads to Buckingham Palace. Other public works in Trafalgar Square include fountains and more statues, as well as the Fourth Plinth, an elevated site where a rotating display of artists’ sculptures are mounted. At the northeast end of the square near the National Gallery, look for the bronze plaques that were mounted in the pavement and walls which depict the Standard Imperial Measures, replacing wooden predecessors that burned in an 1834 fire in Westminster.

Praza del Obradoiro – Santiago de Compostela, Spain

The great cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, the capital of Spain’s northwest Galicia region, is thought to hold the remains of the apostle James and marks the end of the nearly-500-mile Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail. The broad square in front of the cathedral, the Praza del Obradoiro (praza is the Galician version of the Spanish plaza), is therefore often filled with groups of hikers, standing, sitting, and reclining with their backpacks and recovering from their journey.

Another of the grand buildings that make up the sides of the square is the Hostal de Los Reyes Católicos. Now a luxury hotel, it was originally built by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella in the 15th century to serve as a hospital and hostel for pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela.

Flanking the other sides of the square are the Colexio de San Xerome, a university that dates back to 1501, and a governmental palace that is now the town hall. The elegant buildings along the praza are serenely uniform in the color of their stonework, but each facade represents a different architectural style, which makes a survey from the center of the square a delight for visually-minded visitors.

St. Peter’s Square – Vatican City

This grand and photogenic piazza was purpose-built for crowds in 1656 at the behest of Pope Alexander VII, who wanted to return Rome to its ancient role as one of the great cities of the world. Either end of the elliptical piazza is framed by two semicircular colonnades designed by Bernini, the sculptor and architect responsible for many works at the Vatican. The center of the ellipse is marked by an Egyptian obelisk, flanked on either side by a pair of stately fountains.

Most days, tourists pass through the square on their way to visit the Sistine Chapel or St. Peter’s Basilica, but on Sundays, they gather here after noon to hear the Pope give his weekly address to the faithful from a balcony in his apartments. (Occasionally, he says mass from a balcony at the top of the basilica.) If you can’t catch a glimpse of His Holiness, maybe the sight of 140 saints, popes, and martyrs perched atop Bernini’s colonnades (in marble form) can lift your spirits heavenward.