When I saw the thread title, my first thought was of the Golden Gate Bridge, so I chose that one.
Interestingly, I’ve crossed all of the ones listed in the poll.
OK. Bridge over troubled waters
I went Brooklyn but more on the strength of all the various news/history/other TV shows I’ve seen about it. Golden Gate isn’t a bad choice but I think that is more a Pacific Rim response.
The Bridge of Sighs.
Funny answer, Bridge over Troubled Water:smack:
I voted for the Golden Gate, but I thought I’d offer up this one for a little hometown cred.
I loved doing that drive with my mom a few years ago. We played Jimmy Buffet and Caribbean music. Hoping to get back out there one day and do it again.
Define “most famous” if you asked anyone for the first bridge they can think of then they’ll probably choose a bridge locally famous to them.
If you went round the world and showed just a picture of famous bridges to people (without too many other visual cues) and asked them what bridge it is, then that might be a different thing.
For the latter case I think Tower Bridge and Sydney Harbour bridge might be more easily recognisable than Brooklyn Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Tie between Golden Gate and Brooklyn. Tower is a very close third and would also be in first if people knew its name was Tower and not London.
I think that is a very USA-centric view though, is the Golden Gate shape and setting more iconic than Sydney Harbour or Tower Bridge outside of the USA?
I don’t think that works.
The first bridge I thought of was Mackinac (in part because I recently walked across it), but I don’t think it’s the most famous. I voted Golden Gate.
mmm
Honestly, the first one I thought of (before reading the choices) was the Millau Viaduct.I know it’s not famous because I never heard of it till I saw a TV program detailing its construction. But I still think it’s an amazing structure and an incredible feat of engineering.
When I considered well-known bridges, the Tower Bridge and the Golden Gate were the ones that came to mind for me. But I didn’t vote.
Robot Arm, my first thought was Golden Gate, but I was also going to give a shout-out to ol’ Galloping Gertie.
…But do they call me Moisseiff the bridge-builder?
My Australian opinion is that Sydney Harbor Bridge is a nice bridge, but not all that iconic (their Opera House on the other hand…)
Tower Bridge suffers from half its viewers not knowing what it’s called.
I voted for the Golden Gate.
I voted for the Brooklyn because it was the first long span suspension bridge and is still in excellent condition. I’ve driven over it many times, although I’ve never walked over it. Twenty years ago, I walked to the midpoint of the Golden Gate in the company of Sergei Brin (this was before Google) and then back. Someone mentioned the SF Bay bridge. I don’t think I had ever heard of it before the 1989 earthquake. I don’t think that is at all famous.
If you’re a civil/mechanical engineer, then you might argue for the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, which collapsed in spectacular fashion.
From where I’m sitting, it’s the GWB (George Washington Bridge).
So did the Tay Bridge; plus that had McGonagall.
Also, let’s recall The Bridge of San Luis Rey.
I suspect Golden Gate Bridge is the bridge most people have heard of, while the Tower Bridge is the one most people would recognize in a picture (though not necessarily by the correct name).
The first bridge that comes to my mind is the Forth Bridge.
And I suppose that a case could be made for the Pons Asinorum.
I was going to mention (and I still will) the former Tacoma Narrows bridge (a.k.a. Galloping Gertie) but I see that three earlier posters already got it – including a link to that spectacular video! (I didn’t actually view the video just now – is it the one that shows the guy running for his life to get off the bridge? Yes, there is one such video. Sad ending: His dog didn’t make it.)
Honorable mention also to the Tallahatchie Bridge!