The Vasco da Gama Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge spanning the Tagus River, connecting Montijo with Sacavém in Portugal. At 17.3 kilometers long, it is the longest bridge in Europe and one of the area’s major tourist attractions.
During his More than 3,000 people participated in the construction y four engineering teams. The reason was to relieve traffic congestion on the 25 de Abril Bridge, which frequently experienced traffic jams, and, in this way, also to facilitate travel between the southern part of this country and Spain.
In addition to being the longest bridge in Europe It is one of the longest on the planet, with 17.3 kilometers long, 10 of which are located over the Mar de la Paja. A 6-lane highway runs along this great engineering feat on a 30 meters wide. The structure is 150 meters tall.
The construction of the Vasco da Gama Bridge was divided into four phases, and special measures had to be taken to minimize the environmental impact on the area, since it is located very close to the Tagus Estuary Natural Park. The bridge can withstand wind gusts of up to 250 kilometers per hour and from withstand major earthquakes.
The decision to build the bridge was made in 1991, and construction, which began in 1995, lasted 3 years. It is named after the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, commemorating his arrival in India 500 years before the bridge’s inauguration. The Vasco da Gama Bridge cost 897 million euros.
