The world's largest steel arch bridge - Sydney Harbour Bridge
The Sydney Harbour Bridge was completed in 1932. It is 134 meters high, 502 meters long, 49 meters wide and weighs 53,000 tons. It is one of the most magnificent buildings in Australia, the tallest steel arch bridge in the world, and the fifth longest arch bridge in the world. The design of the Harbour Bridge was awarded to Dorman, Long and Co of Middlesbrough, England in 1923, beating out 25 competing proposals. The bridge used 58,000 tons of steel and took nine years to build. When the bridge was first built, it was nicknamed the Coat Hanger Bridge because of its gray paint and arched structure. However, as time went on, the structure and appearance of the Harbour Bridge have gradually been accepted by people. It has become one of Sydney's landmarks along with the Sydney Opera House. Fireworks are set off on the bridge every New Year's Eve to celebrate the holiday.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge spans Sydney Harbour, connecting Sydney's central business district with the northern suburbs, greatly reducing the time people need to cross the bay. The bridge is designed with four lanes, one going back and forth, a total of eight lanes lined up on the bridge, which is very spacious. There are two railway tracks and a pedestrian path on both sides of the lane. Every day, the bridge welcomes countless tourists who walk, ride bicycles or wear roller skates to cross the bridge, because this is also one of the best viewpoints to appreciate the Sydney Opera House. To walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, follow Argyle Street on the south side into the bridge walkway. It will take about 15 to 20 minutes to walk from the south end to the north end without stopping, but believe me, the magnificent view of Sydney Harbour under the bridge will definitely make you stop and check in from time to time. When walking through the southern end, you will also pass by the Pylon Lookout Museum, where you can learn about the construction process of the Sydney Bridge and enjoy a 360-degree unobstructed view.
In addition to walking across the bridge, you can also take a ferry west to Darling Harbour at Circular Quay. Along the way, the ferry will pass under the bridge, allowing you to admire the magnificent steel structure of the bridge from another angle.
Of course, when visiting Sydney, the most popular or most talked-about activity is climbing the Sydney Bridge, which has been popular with tourists from home and abroad since 1988. Led by a professional tour guide, tourists will wear safety equipment and carefully head to the top of the bridge. The bridge climbing company also provides different plans, time periods and packages for tourists to choose from. Different time periods have different fees, and different plans also have different experiences (general climbing, fast climbing, beginner climbing, extreme climbing, etc.). The biggest difference lies in the difference in climbing height and time. Those who are interested can refer to the introduction on the official website.