This bridge, which connects the islands of Zealand and Funen in Denmark—separated by the Great Belt—is the third-longest suspension bridge in the world and the largest construction project in the country.
The distance between the ends of the bridge is 16 kilometers, with a suspended section approximately 1,625 meters long, making it one of the one of the longest bridges of this type in the world, the third specifically. It is 254 meters tall. Construction on this impressive bridge began in 1988 and lasted 10 years, as work was interrupted due to concerns that the bridge's construction would disrupt maritime traffic in the Great Belt Strait.
The Great Belt Bridge, also known as the East Bridge, was designed by the architectural firm Dissing Weitling, which chose a structure that would accommodate both road and rail traffic. As a result, it cost 21.4 billion Danish kroner, making it the Denmark's greatest work. The project includes an undersea tunnel through which the double-track railroad line crosses the strait.
Its construction brought great benefits to the Danish people, as it significantly reduced the travel time between the two islands. Previously, the ferry ride could take about an hour; now, the travel time between Zealand and Funen has been cut to 10 minutes. About 27,000 vehicles cross the Great Belt Bridge each day, although during the summer this number skyrockets to 40,000 vehicles per day.
