A journey through time: The world’s most beautiful railway bridges

We’ve got a serious weakness for spectacular railway bridges. Nothing beats rumbling across valleys and rivers while soaking up views of the gorgeous landscapes unfolding below. 

And they’re no longer simply feats of engineering – they’re landmarks that put destinations on the map and visual reminders of the evolution of civil engineering. 

This year, one of the most striking in Europe, Scotland’s Forth Bridge, is marking 10 years since it was granted UNESCO World Heritage status – one of just a few railway bridges to receive the accolade. What’s more, this month it celebrates its 135th anniversary.

This iconic cantilever railway bridge located across the Firth of Forth, is such a part of Scotland’s pride and cultural heritage that you’ll find it illustrated on some Scottish banknotes. 

How have railway bridges changed over time?

Just like railways themselves, bridges don’t look the same as they did a century ago. 

“Railway bridges have evolved significantly over the past 100 years,” says Professor Luke Prendergast, an expert in civil engineering (and bridges specifically) at the University of Nottingham. “In the past, masonry arch-type bridges were common,” he adds. 

“These heavy stone structures looked beautiful but eventually gave way to steel bridges with truss systems.” 

But don’t make the mistake of assuming metal bridges can’t be works of art, too.

“Steel allowed longer spans to be created,” points out Professor Prendergast. 

“The newest bridges tend to be made from reinforced concrete and other composite materials, but all of these structures can be aesthetically pleasing, and it’s a matter of personal opinion when it comes to whether the original masonry style is easier on the eye!”

Don’t look down: Where are the world’s highest railway bridges?

While the newest skyscrapers are often the tallest, the same doesn’t apply to railway bridges. Montenegro’s Mala Rijeka Viaduct became the world’s highest railway bridge when it opened in 1973. 

That title has now been taken by a newer bridge in Guizhou, China. 

But the Mala Rijeka Viaduct’s stats are still impressive – at its highest point, the 499-metre-long bridge hovers 200 metres above the river below. Unsurprisingly, a structure of this size needs some serious support, and the largest pillar rests on a base that is the same size as a tennis court. 

Southern France’s Viaur Viaduct might not have the height of the Mala Rijeka Viaduct, but it’s no less impressive. The beautiful steel structure was built in 1902. 

Famous for its elegant design and soaring arches, its longest span measures 220 metres. Architect Paul Bodin achieved its graceful look by embracing a new technique known as balanced arches, which allowed less metal to be used, and relied on a counterbalancing technique rather than extra materials to provide strength. 

The bridge, which is 116 metres above the Viaur River Valley at its highest point, was truly a labour of love, made with 3,800 tonnes of metal and held together with 160 tonnes of steel rivets, all of which had to be tightened by hand.

Miracles of masonry in France and England

Bridges don’t get more beautiful than the Chamborigaud Viaduct – a 29-arch, 384-metre-long bridge built in the late 1800s by architect Charles Dombre for the Paris-Lyon-Mediterranean Railway Company. 

A masonry bridge that made the Cévennes region – with its deep valleys and soaring hills – much more accessible, the viaduct was designated a historical monument by the French government in 1984. 

Another masonry marvel is northern England’s Whalley Viaduct, built to carry the Blackburn to Clitheroe railway line across the River Calder Valley. Unveiled in 1850, it was made with six million bricks and has 48 arches. 

This towering structure has often been compared to a cathedral or monastery. It’s suspected this was intentional. The viaduct is close to Whalley Abbey, which dates back to the 1200s, and Terence Woulfe Flanagan, the engineer behind the bridge, was inspired by the abbey’s ecclesiastical design.

Another majestic work of masonry is the Ouse Valley Viaduct in Sussex, England. When it was constructed in the 1840s, it was well ahead of its time. The 37-arch railway bridge relies on architectural features known as jack arches to reduce the number of bricks required. 

Its slimline structure is considered one of England’s most elegant railway bridges and is famous for its varying hues, courtesy of its rust-red bricks (11 million, to be precise) and creamy limestone sourced from Normandy.

Build it and they will come: Famous bridges become tourist attractions

Some of Europe’s most beautiful bridges are now destinations in their own right. One of the finest examples is Scotland’s Glenfinnan Viaduct, which had a starring role in the Harry Potter movies. 

Professor Vasilis Sarhosis, an expert on masonry bridges at the University of Leeds’ civil engineering department, is a huge fan and points out that it’s not just its elegant design that sets it apart. 

“Glenfinnan Viaduct was constructed more than 100 years ago and it’s still one of the largest bridges in Scotland,” says Professor Sarhosis. 

“It was constructed using mass concrete – which means that it doesn’t contain any metal reinforcement, unlike most modern railway bridges today.” 

One of the Victorian era’s most spectacular feats of engineering, this 21-arch bridge, which features on certain Scottish banknotes, has a length of 380 metres. The best views are from the Glenfinnan Visitor Centre. It is the starting point for a series of footpaths lined with observation points for those keen to admire this engineering marvel.

Scotland’s aforementioned UNESCO-listed Forth Rail Bridge is another such marvel, located on the outskirts of Edinburgh. It’s been featured in British film classics including The 39 Steps and Carry on Regardless – and in an episode of The Simpsons last year.

Unveiled in 1890, this cantilever-trussed bridge was made with 54,000 tonnes of steel and is famous for its rust-red hue. Today, its colour is down to the use of bespoke red paint created to emulate the original red oxide colouration of the bridge when it first opened.

Another magnet for fans of railway bridges is Switzerland’s Landwasser Viaduct, the most famous spot on the UNESCO-listed Albula Mountain Railway. When the bridge was built in the early 1900s, construction was carried out without scaffolding. Engineers were grateful for the easy access to materials as it was made with limestone hacked from the Dolomite Mountains through which the railway passes. 

It’s relatively short compared to the other railway bridges we’ve listed here – it features six arches and is just 142 metres long. Its tight curve and the way one end simply disappears into a mountain – which was nearly impossible to navigate prior to the bridge’s construction – make it unique. 

Equally striking is the Sittertal Valley’s Sitter Viaduct, built in 1910 and the highest standard-gauge railway bridge in Switzerland. Famous for its so-called fish-belly central truss (an unsupported central section that relies on strength provided by curving girders beneath the bridge), it championed innovative construction techniques and was hailed as an engineering marvel worldwide. 

Further proof that bridges can be attractions in their own right is the Luís I Bridge in Porto, Portugal. One of the world’s most ornate railway bridges, it features stonework adorned with Portugal’s coat of arms. On the upper deck, lamps bathe the bridge with golden light after sunset.

Gustave Eiffel, the genius behind the Eiffel Tower, came close to being its designer, although his plans were eventually rejected and the project was placed in the hands of German engineer Théophile Seyrig, instead.

An innovative bridge to a car-free ski resort

Finally, a look ahead, more specifically, at one of the world’s most innovative railway bridges. 

You’ll find the Swiss Alps’ Stoos funicular railway bridge on a funicular railway that connects Schwyz with the car-free ski resort of Stoos. It is the steepest funicular in the world. 

Passengers on this mountain railway – which has trains resembling sleek glass orbs – pass through three tunnels and two bridges. The most spectacular bridge is the one spanning the Muota River. While it’s probably not for the traditionalists, it’s still very much worthy of inclusion in our tribute to the world’s most beautiful railway bridges.