One of the numerous modernist architectural marvels dotted around the Brazilian city of Brasilia, the Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge, named after the country's 21st president, nonetheless manages to stand out on its own. It is a steel and concrete highway arch bridge that is almost 4,000 feet long that was initially made available to all traffic in 2002.

Thanks to its three crisscrossing, asymmetrically positioned arches, each of which is over 200 feet tall, the bridge may be seen from many other locations in the city on a clear day. It links the eastern shore of Lake Paranoá with the city's core, providing the 4.8 million citizens of Brasilia with a crucial traffic connection as well as a photo-worthy sight.

For his work on the bridge, Alexandre Chan was awarded the Gustav Lindenthal Medal at the Pittsburgh International Bridge Conference in 2003. This medal is given "for one exceptional, recent achievement that demonstrates environmental harmony, aesthetic excellence, and successful community participation."

The bridge was also given the 2003 Premio ABCEM (ABCEM Award), given by the Brazilian Metal Construction Association (Associaço Brasileira da Construço Metálica, ABCEM), for "Best Steel Work of the Year, Bridges and Highway Overpasses Category."

• Designer: Alexandre Chan and Mário Vila Verde
  
• Total length: 1,200 metres (3,900 ft)

Rating: 4.7/5.0

Location: Brasilia - Federal District, 70297-400, Brazil

The Veluwemeer aqueduct disproves the prevailing belief that bridges ought to be constructed over water features rather than the other way around. The aqueduct in the Netherlands, which was finished in 2002, crosses the N302 motorway and may be the only structure of its kind in the entire globe. The N302, one of the busiest roads in the nation, links the city of Harderwijk on the mainland with Flevoland, the biggest man-made island in the world.

The roadway is really completely encircled by a lake, with a connection between its two sides to maintain traffic on both levels. It is a novel solution to a typical landscaping issue that is typically addressed by drawbridges, tunnels, ferry terminals, and overpasses, all of which have been shown to be more expensive and disruptive. It took about 22,000 cubic meters of concrete to build the aqueduct, along with steel sheet piling to support the weight of the water over the road and stop water and sediment from leaking onto the road below.

• Total length: 25 m (82 ft)
• Designer: ontwerper

Rating: 4.6/5.0

Location: Aquaduct Veluwemeer, Harderwijk, Netherlands

In Isfahan, Iran, the Si-o-se-pol bridge and dam, also known as "The Bridge of 33 Arches," was once intended to be both. Si-o-se-pol, which was finished in the first half of the 17th century, is one of the best-preserved examples of bridge design from the Safavid period. Between 1599 and 1602, Si-o-se-pol, also known as the bridge of 33 Persian letters, was constructed in Iran during the rule of Abbas I, the fifth Safavid king (shah).

It was built under the direction of the chief military commander, Allahverdi Khan Undiladze, who was also named after him and was of Georgian descent. The bridge served as a vital connection to the city's important Armenian neighborhood of New Julfa as well as a link between the mansions of the elite. Yazd province received water from the river when there was a drought (2000–2002 and 2013).

However, as the lower sections of the river have nearly completely dried up owing to a variety of factors over the years, the bridge-cum-dam has evolved into a really lengthy heritage building. With shopping centers, lodging options, cafes, and other tourist attractions on either side, it is currently a well-liked recreation area.

• Total length: 297.76 metres (976.9 ft)
• Designer: Hussein Bana Isfahani

Rating: 4.6/5.0

Location: Isfahan Province, Isfahan، Enghelab Sq Chahar Bagh e Abbasi St، JMV8+QX8, Iran

A double-leaved bascule bridge, such as the Twin Sails Bridge in Dorset, England, has single or double spans, or leaves, that may be lowered and raised to allow clearance for boats. It's not a particularly original bridge design because bascule bridges are common throughout Europe; the Tower Bridge in London is another example.

But what makes it special is how its leaves are shaped. Twin Sails is the first triangular-leaved bascule bridge in the world; its leaves are triangular rather than the typical rectangular design. The entire structure resembles the sails of two enormous yachts passing one other on the open seas when it is open to maritime traffic. However, while it is closed, it can be challenging to distinguish the bridge from other nearby bridges.

The Backwater Channel, which connects Holes Bay and Poole Harbour, is crossed by the bridge. The bridge and approach roads are connected to urban feeder roads in the west and to the intersection of West Quay Road in the east.

• Total length: 139-metre (456 ft)
• Designer: N/A

Rating: N/A

Location: Twin Sails Bridge, Poole, the UK

The Nanpu bridge near Shanghai in China is unquestionably one of the longest bridges in the world, measuring a total of almost 5.15 miles. As there are many other, much more beautiful bridges dotting the skylines of contemporary Chinese towns, the bridge alone isn't very noteworthy on its own. Instead, the system of circular ramps that it has on its Shanghai side to help with traffic flow during peak hours is its main draw.

It's a huge, multi-level ramp that connects numerous distinct roads to the bridge and other roads with smaller ramps of its own. Large junctions in various cities across the world are comparable to this one; nevertheless, this intersection's main objective is to seamlessly divert traffic to the bridge.

Before it was made accessible to the general public in 1991, ferries were the only means of crossing the Huangpu River. Since the bridge allowed for the quick development and industrialization of the districts on the other side, it is now one of the busiest roads in Shanghai.

• Total length: 760 metres (2,493 ft)
• Designer: N/A

Rating: 4.4/5.0

Location: 6G44+53 Huangpu, Shanghai, China

The Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado is the highest bridge in the country and one of the highest in the world, soaring about 956 feet above the Arkansas river. Built in 1929, the bridge connects the two ends of the Royal Gorge – one of the deepest canyons in the USA – and provides a spectacular view of the unique, sprawling landscape.

The 1,260-foot-long bridge extends the typical canyon experience by placing you on top of the gorge rather than at its base, while one may also choose the charming railroad routes that run down the gorge's floor. The bridge draws a sizable number of tourists from all over the nation throughout the year since it also provides a variety of adventurous activities like bungee jumping and zip lining in a configuration that is a cross between a bridge and an adventure park.

• Total length: 1,260 ft (384 m)
• Designer: George E. Cole

Rating: 4.5/5.0

Location: 4218 Co Rd 3A, Cañon City, CO 81212, United States

The Helix is a pedestrian bridge that spans the Singapore River in Singapore's Marina Bay neighborhood, linking numerous offices and commercial buildings. It is constructed using a complicated double-helix structure of DNA strands, similar to most pedestrian bridges you have probably seen.

The Helix was designed as a lighter, more attractive replacement for the vehicular bridge right next to it, the Bayfront Bridge, and was first made public in 2010. Multiple areas of shade are provided throughout the day by strategically placed canopies of perforated steel, making it a perfect lunch location for adjacent office workers. Thousands of multicolored LED lights are used to illuminate and highlight the double helix outline at night, giving the structure a natural-yet-current appearance.

International designers Cox Architecture from Australia, Arup from engineering, and Architects 61 from Singapore make up the design partnership. A portion of the inner spiral incorporates canopies for pedestrian shade composed of fritted glass and perforated steel mesh. The bridge features four viewing platforms that are strategically placed and offer views of the Marina Bay and the Singapore skyline. The double-helix construction of the bridge will be highlighted by a sequence of lights that illuminate it at night, giving tourists a unique visual experience.

• Total length: 280 metres (920 ft)
• Designer: ARUP Pte Ltd (Australia)

Rating: 4.7/5.0

Location: 7VQ6+36 Singapore

There are only two simple methods for successfully creating a stunning, enduring bridge. One is meticulously putting it all together with the assistance of the building crew over the course of the following few years after carefully examining the geography and weather of the area, performing certain calculations using sophisticated architectural principles. The other involves erecting a massive, fire-breathing dragon on a typical bridge.

When they launched the Dragon Bridge back in 2013, officials in the Vietnamese city of Da Nang showed that they obviously believed in the latter. Dragon Bridge links Da Nang Airport with other important highways in the city and was constructed to commemorate the 38th anniversary of Da Nang's liberation during the Vietnam War. For special events, the dragon, which spans almost the entire length of the bridge, is equipped with over 2,500 LED lights and has what appears to be a massive, custom-built flamethrower at its mouth.

• Total length: 666 metres (2,185 ft)
• Designer: Ammann & Whitney

Rating: 4.6/5.0

Location: 366G+FGG, Phuoc Ninh, Hai Chau, Da Nang 550000, Vietnam

Roman civilizations are among the few to have dabbled in the fine art of bridge construction, as seen by their fixation with aqueducts. Roman aqueducts, which were intricately woven throughout the empire's immense territory and brought water to its far-flung, dry provinces, did so continuously. As the aqueducts had to cross numerous different sorts of natural impediments to be joined, this necessitated building bridges of all kinds.

While the majority of the network has now been lost to history, remnants can still be seen in buildings like the Pont du Gard. The Pont du Gard, often known as the "Bridge of the Gard," is one of the most popular tourist attractions in France. At 155 feet, it is one of the tallest bridges in existence. It consists of three levels, each with many arches, with the top level housing the former working water conduit.

• Total length: Upper: 275 m (902 ft)
• Design: Arch bridge

Rating: 4.6/5.0

Location: 400 Rte du Pont du Gard, 30210 Vers-Pont-du-Gard, France

The water bridge, also known as an aqueduct, in Magdeburg, Germany, was designed to address a specific issue with the area's rivers. It links the Elbe river with two canal systems, the Elbe-Havel Canal and the Mittelland Canal. Previously, to lower and raise ships between different heights, the route required a seven-mile detour and numerous locks.

After only a short period of waiting, you can be lowered or elevated onto any canal of your choice and be on your way. The bridge, which was initially planned in the 1930s but wasn't constructed until the end of the Cold War, is actually a collection of many bridges, each with its own lock system. It effectively connected the eastern and western halves of the huge canal network of the nation, allowing ships to pass between the inner harbors of Berlin and the Rhine river ports with ease.

• Total length: 918 metres (3,012 ft)
• Design: Beam Bridge

Rating: 4.7/5.0

Location: 39326 Wolmirstedt, Germany