Megaprojects around the world never fail to amaze us, including this 10-mile-long bridge that’s the longest in Europe and cost a whopping £746 million to build. From tall skyscrapers to deep underground tunnels, there are some infrastructure projects that are true marvels to look at. When it comes to the longest bridge in Europe, you will find it in one of the continent’s most scenic countries. 

Welcome to the Vasco da Gama Bridge in Lisbon, Portugal. Despite its huge size, this bridge only took three years to complete. Construction on it began in 1995, and it was completed by the time the 1998 World Expo rolled around. Now a vital part of the Portuguese capital’s infrastructure, it was originally built to ease congestion on the city’s much older 25th of April Bridge. The bridge’s name was given as construction was completed 500 years after Vasco da Gama discovered a sea route from Europe to India.

The development of the Montijo and Alcochete municipalities has been highly influenced by the bridge, as these areas connect to northern Lisbon via the project. Both areas are considered to have benefited greatly in terms of commerce and tourism because of the bridge. 

Designed to last 120 years, the bridge has become an iconic part of Lisbon’s skyline. It carries an impressive six lanes of traffic. 

Engineers achieved a true marvel with this project, as the bridge can withstand winds of up to 155mph and earthquakes stronger than the one that struck Lisbon in 1755. The speed limit on the bridge is 75mph, though this is reduced to 56mph in poor weather.

The European Investment Bank reports that 62,000 vehicles cross the river using the bridge every day. The Vasco da Gama Bridge is the longest cable-stayed bridge in Europe, with two towering H-shaped pylons standing at 492 feet (150 metres) high.

The central viaduct alone spans an impressive four miles. The bridge was completed thanks to a €299 (around £260 GBP), which not only went to the construction of the bridge, but also to other transport infrastructure in the area. 

Deep piles were driven into the riverbed when construction began, followed by the placement of the main towers, which were designed to withstand the impact of a 30,000-tonne ship.

Medium-sized boats can pass underneath the bridge. During its construction, it took 3,300 workers and 100,000 tonnes of steel to complete. 

António Rosa, Managing Director of Lusoponte, the company responsible for managing the project, said at the time of construction: “Building a bridge of this magnitude was no easy task. We faced huge technical challenges, such as ensuring structural stability and coordinating complex logistics over such a vast area.”

An extensive environmental programme also had to be implemented when the bridge was built, as it crosses the Tagus Estuary Natural Reserve.