Our ancestors began building bridges to allow for safe passage of people, cattle, and vehicles over water bodies, mountain valleys, and other tough terrains. Architects and designers went on to build some impossibly impressive structures of steel, wood, glass, and cable. And many of them are downright frightening. Here we take a look at the top 10 scariest bridges around the world. They are so scary that just a look down below will make you sweat.
Top 10 scariest bridges in the world
10- Titlis Cliff Walk, Engelberg, Switzerland
Titlis Cliff Walk is the highest suspension bridge in Europe. Folks at the Titlis Engelberg resort claim it’s a fully secure bridge and that it’s impossible for someone to fall down from it. But when you look down into the abyss of the south wall from 10,000 feet above the sea level, you’d be scared as hell. This pedestrian walkway is only about 300 feet in length. The official website of the bridge says you need “nerves as strong as the steel cables from which it hangs” to cross the bridge.
9- Langkawi Sky Bridge, Malaysia
Set above the treetops, the Langkawi Sky Bridge has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in Malaysia. This pedestrian bridge is suspended from a single pylon, and is 2165 feet above the sea level. The Langkawi Sky Bridge has sections of glass built into the bridge to let you look down at the mountainous trees below. The bridge is only six feet wide. It offers a panoramic view of Langkawi islands and the Andaman Sea.
8- Eshima Ohashi Bridge, Japan
The Eshima Ohashi Bridge connects the cities of Sakaiminato and Matsue in Japan. It is more like a concrete road roller coaster than a bridge. It rises steeply so ships can pass underneath, which could make you instantly anxious.
7- Kuandinsky Bridge, Kuanda, Russia
There are a number of factors that make it one of the top 10 scariest bridges in the world. It was built more than three decades ago, and hasn’t been repaired since. In fact, the bridge is closed to the public. The Kuandinsky Bridge has no guardrails and constant ice weather, leaving almost no room for human error. Though it’s closed to the public, adventure enthusiasts try to make it across the bridge just for the sake of thrill. Sometimes they have to patch up the bridge themselves to make it through.
6- Hussaini Hanging Bridge, Pakistan
This has to be among the top 10 scariest bridges on the planet. It’s a hanging rope and wood structure with frighteningly wide gaps. It’s built over Pakistan’s Borit Lake in the Hunza Valley and measures 635 feet in length. The bridge was damaged badly in 2011. It’s frail and shaky in the wind.
5- Puente de Ojuela, Mexico
It was designed by the same people who designed the Brooklyn Bridge. The Puente de Ojuela is more than 1,000 feet long. It’s the only functional structure in the ghost town of Ojuela. The town was almost completely abandoned when it ran out of mineral resources at the beginning of the 20th century. The Mexican government restored the terrifying suspension bridge as a tourist attraction in 1991.
4- Aiguille du Midi, France
It hangs in the air 12,500 feet above sea level, enough to put it among the top 10 scariest bridges in the world. To get to the bridge, you first have to take a 20-minute cable car ride that will take you up to 9,200 feet. Once you are on the Aiguille du Midi, you won’t be able to stop yourself from looking down at one of the most breathtaking views in the world.
3- The Confederation Bridge, Canada
It is one of the biggest engineering marvels in Canada. This eight-mile long bridge links New Brunswick to Prince Edward Island. This curved structure is not scary high, but it stretches over pure ice. The Confederation Bridge is designed to withstand strong ice flows. Crossing the bridge during wind storms could be a nightmare. The government prohibits certain types of vehicles from crossing the bridge during extreme winds.
2- Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge, China
The 1,410 feet long bridge has a height of nearly a thousand feet. And its bottom is made out of glass, which means you’ll be looking down (and sweating) the whole time. It is located at China’s Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie National Park. The bridge was temporarily closed just a couple of weeks of opening because of the heavy flood of visitors. It’s designed to handle only 8,000 people per day, but it was attracting nearly 100,000 visitors a day.
1- Suspension Glass Bridge, Shiniuzhai National Geological Park, China
Its length and height is slightly less than the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge, but this glass suspension bridge makes you feel like you are floating above the valley. It’s built on the Shiniuzhai National Geological Park in the southern Hunan Province. The suspension glass bridge opened only three years ago, and it has already become the favorite destination for adventure seekers.
