Above photo is Hiyoshi Dam in Kyoto, Japan.
Akashi Bridge
The following pictures of bridges around the world should be viewed with caution because they might cause serious travel fever. The bridges’ vital stats are not only amazing because they are the world’s tallest and longest; they also fulfill important environmental promises – cutting down traffic, shortening trade routes, connecting countries, or making car, train, bicycle or pedestrian travel not only faster but also so much more stylish!
Photo: 
1. Magdeburg Water Bridge: 918 m long, 34 m wide & 4.25 m deep
At first glance, the Water Bridge in Magdeburg, Germany, seems nothing special; just another canal bridge. But look again and it’s a water bridge across water, forming a water intersection that is the biggest water crossing in Europe!
The world’s largest water bridge, with a span of 106 m between its pillars, opened in October 2003, on the back of five years of construction, 24,000 tons of steel, and 68,000 m³ of reinforced concrete. Regaining the construction cost of €500 million probably won't take long as the bridge shortens travel times for ships considerably and eases traffic on other routes.
Before the opening of the water bridge, ships moving between the Midland Canal and the Elbe-Havel Canal had to make a 12-km detour through the Rothensee lock, along the River Elbe and back up Niegripp lock. Now the bridge connects Hannover and Berlin directly and also Berlin’s inland harbour network with the ports along the Rhine.
A double lock was constructed to descend to the Elbe-Havel Canal and a single Rothensee lock was constructed at the other end of the water bridge to descend to the Elbe and the Magdeburg harbour, making it independent of water levels and therefore navigable even for large ships.
Photo: Le Viaduc de Millau
