Saint Servatius Bridge over the Meuse River in Maastricht (Netherlands)

 

"On the banks of the Meuse is where I can recover. I can't do it on the Rhine, forget about the Waal. Only on the Meuse, here along the Meuse."

Dutch poet Ton Engels

Tabak Bridge over the Lana River in Tirana (Albania)

I long for evenings in the streets of Tirana,

Where I’ve done a mischief or two,
And even in those streets where I have not.
They know me, those old wooden gates,
They will still hold their old grudges,
Shaking their head at me,
But I won’t mind
Because I’m filled with longing.
And in the sidestreets full of dried leaves,
Dried leaves, autumn leaves,
For which comparisons are aplenty.

In a poem by Ismail Kadare

Augustus Bridge over the Elbe River in Dresden, Saxony (Germany)

The morning breeze is off and gone

The winding factory streets are clean

Old ladies put the kettle on

And all-night lechers pause and lean

On grey shop windows, everywhere

A deeper hum is in the air

Hotel room, drifter leaves no clues

...

The salmon Season's here to stay

And etched into each shoulder-bone

The mark of Cain is on display

As stone above each measured stone

Old Dresden burns above the breeze

The traveller, he's on his knees

He's watching sledge-wings dip and play

So far above the holy throne

Dresden blues...

Lyrics of Dresden

by Cold Chisel

Pont de la Rode over the Canal de Midi near Trébes, Aude (France)

It was a large and difficult project, but very advantageous for my reign, as it would become the center and reference point for European trade.

King Louis XIV

about the Canal de Midi

Pont de la Fonderie over the Canal du Faux-Rempart in Strasbourg, Alsace (France)

I like this city of Strasbourg more than I can say. I love this Alsatian character, something hospitable and free; I love this cathedral so close to me, I especially love the proximity of the Rhine. It makes me think of everything that is unlimited in history; to the Celts, to all the hordes that have stopped for a long time on its banks.

Edgar Quinet

Ponte della Vittoria (Victory Bridge) over the Adige River in Verona (Italy)

“Le sue magnificenze conosciute
saranno ancora, sì che ‘suoi nemici
non ne potrai tener le lingue mute.”

"His magnificences will still be known, 

so that you will not be able 

to keep his enemies’ tongues mute."

In The Divine Comedy

by Dante Alighieri, about Verona

Ponte dei Salti over the Verzasca River in Lavertezzo, Ticino (Switzerland)

Tra le vallate del mio bel Ticino
non vo' scordare la Valle del Sole.
In essa vivono belle persone
l'innamorato canta così
O bella bleniesina
sei della Valle del Sole.
Fra tante belle, tra tante stelle,
tanto carina sei tu

Lyrics from "O bella bleniesina"

old Tesino song

Wilson Bridge over the Radbuza River in Pilsen (Czech Republic)

Pilsen! The city dawns
Barefoot on the trunks
Black moss in the interior of compressors
About the oily metal forests
A cough is whispered
A hundred thousands arms has already stood
It has grown by a tool
A worker flashes in the astronomical pool
A worker, a worker.

Translation of Plzen

by band Umbrtka

Ponte Pietra (Stone Bridge) crossing the Adige River in Verona (Italy)

Sleeping all alone
You wake up with a bottle in your hands
No sound of serenade 'cause we both know we lost our game
I was always high on loving you
Before the romance turned to drama
Like Romeo and Juliet once before
We are lost in Verona

Lyrics of Verona

by Koit Toome

Quiet Man Bridge in Connemara National Park near Oughterard (Ireland)

I still recall that day in July
When you said to me your last goodbye
And that same night you sailed away
To distant lands across the sea

In Connemara by the lake
Two young lovers hearts did break
In County Galway by the sea
There I loved you and you loved me

Irish song

Pont Neuf (New Bridge) over the river Agout in Brassac, Tarn (France)

Il y avait un village tranquille
Et dans ses rues des enfants qui jouaient
Dans les bistrots les vieillards volubiles
Se souvenaient de tout et racontaient
Il y avait la paisible pagaille
Des gens venus de tous les horizons
Même s'ils vivaient parfois... vaille que vaille
Ils partageaient le vin et les chansons

Lyrics from Le Village

by Salvatore Adamo

Fischerviertel Bridge crossing the Blau River in Ulm, Baden-Württemberg (Germany)

Venice's power,

Augsburg's splendor,

Nuremberg's wit,

Strasbourg's artillery,

and Ulm's money

rule the world.

Popular rhyme from XVII century

Stone Bridge over the Vardar River in Skopje (Macedonia)

Midst of Skopje, Vardar passes,
Vardar, the singing river.

Oh, Macedonian Vardar
from the well to the Thessaloniki.
Oh, Macedonian Vardar,
you adorn the Macedonia.

Your cities are like pearls
that decorate the hills.

From a macedonian song

Grand Pont over the Loing River in Nemours, Seine-et-Marne (France)

“A great bridge is a great monument which should serve to make known the splendour and genius of a nation; one should not occupy oneself with efforts to perfect it architecturally, for taste is always susceptible to change, but to conserve always in its form and decoration the character of solidity which is proper.”

Jean-Rodolphe Perronet,

designer of this pont

Paine's Bridge over the Derwent River in Chastworth House, Derbyshare Dales, England (United Kingdom)

Chatsworth! thy stately mansion and the pride
Of thy domain, strange contrast do present
To house and home in many a craggy rent
Of the wild Peak; where new-born waters glide
Through fields whose thrifty occupants abide
As in a dear and chosen banishment,
With every semblance of entire content;
So kind is simple Nature, fairly tried!
Yet he whose heart in childhood gave her troth
To pastoral dales, thin set with modest farms,
May learn, if judgement strengthen with his growth,
That not for Fancy only pomp hath charms;
And, strenuous to protect from lawless harms
The extremes of favoured life, may honour both.

Poem by William Wordworth

Mittlere Bridge over the Rhine River in Basel (Switzerland)

Rivers, like clarions, sing to the oceans about the beauty of earth, the cultivation of fields, the splendor of cities, and the glory of humans. Of all rivers, I love most the Rhine.

Victor Hugo

Stanley Brooke Bridge in Acadia National Park, Maine (United States)

"Interesting to look at and well built."

John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

about this bridge

New Bridge over the Meric River (or Maritza River) in Edirne (Turkey)

A strong king who ruled over the Meriç River made a great celebration for her daughter birthday.  But in the middle of the party the princess was attacked by a big serpent that was gliding through the air. To save the princess, the monarch requested aid from the river god. The river god emerged from the water's surface in an effort to fend off the serpent. The river god was hurt by the serpent but was able to push the snake into the waters of the river with his last strength. The princess was still grasped by the snake. The river god, in response to the king's begging offered himself as his last chance to put down the serpent in the depths and change the river's direction. But as a result of this offering, the river god vanished, and the river was given the name Meriç in his honor.

Legend of the Meric River

Broken Bridge across the West Lake in Hangzhou, Zhejiang (China)

Two great snakes transform themselves into two young girls Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing. They travel to Hangzhou, where they meet a young man, named Xu Xian. Xu Xian and Bai Suzhen fall in love and got married. The abbot of Jinshan Temple tells Xu Xian that his wife is a snake and that he should have her drink realgar wine. Bai Suzhen unsuspectingly drinks the wine and reveals her true form as a snake. Xu Xian dies of shock. Bai Suzhen travels to dangerous Kunlun, where she steals a magical herb to give life to Xu Xian. But back to life, Xu Xian, fearful of his wife, travels to Jinshan Temple, where the abbott imprisons him in order to save himself from the snakes. When Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing fight with the abbott to rescue him, Xu Xian realizes his wife's love for him is genuine and no longer cares if she is a snake. He reunite with his wife on the Broken Bridge. Xiaoqing still furious, intends to kill him, but Bai Suzhen stops her. Xu Xian expresses his regret, and both girls forgive him.

Chinese legend about this bridge

Yong'an Bridge over the lake of the Beihai Park in Beijing (China)

In the ocean there were three celestial mountains, Penglai, Yingzhou and Fangzhang, where celestial beings lived in gorgeous pavilions and enjoyed pills of immortality. Emperors of the Han Dynasty, dispatched trusted officials to search for the pills of immortality, but nothing came out of the effort. In disappointment, the emperors began building celestial islands on waters close by his imperial palace, thereby converting fantasy into reality. Beihai Park was exactly built according to that. The lake itself is reminiscent of the ocean, and the Qionghua Isle in its center is "Penglai". 

Legend about Beihai Park