Footbridge over the river Liuxi in Heqiao Ancient Town, Zhejiang (China)

The bright moon rises over the river.

The moon reminds me of my love who is deep in the mountains.
He is the moon walking across the sky
Do you hear me singing your name by the river?

Lyrics of a Chinese Folk Song

Chenonceau Castle over the Cher River, Indre et Loire (France)

"I absolutely do not want to be locked up in anything other than a pine box and I charge my successors, wherever I die, to have me transported to Chenonceau with the greatest simplicity and to place me in the place that I will have marked."

Louise Dupin, 

buried in Chenonceau Castle

Roman Bridge over the Gilao river in Tavira, Algarve (Portugal)

Oh meu ardente Algarve impressionista e mole,
Meu lindo preguiçoso adormecido ao sol,
Meu louco sonhador a respirar quimeras,
Ouvindo, no azul, o canto das esferas
- A marcha triunfal dos mundos pelo ar. –
Para te adormecer, Deus pôs-te perto o mar,
....

Beginning of the poem O meu Algarve

by Joao Lucio

Grunwaltzky Bridge across the Oder River in Wroclaw (Poland)

Wooden, I lay for centuries above the lazy waters. Now I decorate the navigable route with iron and stone.

Text of a plaque in the bridge until 1945

Spina Cavaddu Bridge over the Rizzanesse River in Sarténe, Corse du Sud (France)

In un scornu di lu mondu,

Ci hè un locucciu tenerezza
Ind'u mio core, maestosu,
Imbalsama di purezza
Ghjuvellu di maraviglie,
Ùn ne circate sumiglie,
Ùn truverete la para ;
Ghjè ùnica, sola è cara.
Corsica.

Lyrics from Corsica, 

song by Patrick Bruel

Haihuang Bridge over the Yellow River in Ganduzhen, Qinghai (China)

In ancient times, it was believed that the Yellow River flowed from Heaven as a continuation of the Milky Way. Zhang Qian was commissioned to find the source of the Yellow River. After sailing up-river for many days, he saw a girl spinning and a cow herd. Upon asking the girl where he was, she presented him with her shuttle with instructions to show it to the astrologer Yan Junping. When he returned, the astrologer recognized it as the shuttle of the Weaving Girl (Vega), and, moreover, said that at the time Zhang received the shuttle, he had seen a wandering star interpose itself between the Weaving Girl and the cow herd (Altair).

Legend about the Yellow River

Grunwald Bridge over the Oder River in Wroclaw (Poland)

‘I am thankful for heavens that in all my instincts I stood Polish.’ 

 Friedrich Nietzsche

Chinese Bridge over the river Moine in the Parc Oriental of Maulevrier, Maine et Loire (France)

“Wherever you are, you are one with the clouds and one with the sun and the stars you see. You are one with everything. That is more true than I can say, and more true than you can hear.”

Shunryu Suzuki

Shuanglong bridge (Double Dragon Bridge) over the Lujiang River in Jiangshui, Yunnan (China)

 

"Those who cannot forgive others break the bridge over which they themselves must pass."

Confucius

Neumarkt Bridge crossing the Saale River in Merseburg, Saxony-Anhalt (Germany) painted by Steffen Groebner

 "The bishop of Merseburg cathedral mistakenly accused his valet of stealing a precious golden ring and had him executed. Years passed and one day, during a violent storm, the roof of the Cathedral was blown away, revealing a raven’s nest with the bishop’s ring in it. "

Legend from Merseburg

Edvard Benes Bridge over the Elbe River in Usti nad Labem, former Aussig (Czech Republic)

...
Mother.
Mother, whose hand did I clasp
when with your words 
I went to Germany?
At Aussig, you always said, at
Aussig on
the Elbe,
inflight. Mother, murderers lived there.
Mother, I’ve written letters.
Mother, no answer came.
...

From the poem Wolf's-beam

Paul Celan

Pont Saint-Pierre across the Garonne River in Toulouse (France)

Moi mon Océan
C'est une Garonne
Qui s'écoule comme
Un tapis roulant

Moi mon Océan

C'est une Garonne

La grande personne

Dont je suis l'enfant

Extract from C'est une Garonne
Claude Nougaro

Richmond Bridge over the Coal River in Richmond, Tasmania (Australia)

The Richmond Bridge is allegedly haunted. The story is as follows: a reputedly cruel jailer named George Grover often whipped convicts from a cart as they quarried sandstone from nearby Butcher’s Hill. One night in 1832, Grover staggered home after a drunken fight and fell asleep atop the bridge. He was pushed off during the night and fell seven meters to his death. No one was convicted of his murder, however it’s widely reported his ghost now haunts the bridge.

Legend of the Richmond Bridge.

Wangyue Bridge (Bridge of the Moon) in Sanhe Ancient Town, Anhui (China)

Moonlight shining through the window

Makes me wonder if there is frost on the ground

Looking up to see the moon

Looking down I miss my hometown

Chinese poet Li Bai

Old Xinhua Bridge over the Hunhe River in Fushun, Liaoning (China)

"The Xinhua Bridge existed for 46 years and has made great contributions to the economic and social development of Fushun.When the bridge was built, the steel used was only 100 tons, it has now been demolished, there has been no driving accidents In the past, the Fushun Xinhua Bridge is a miracle! "

Manager on charge of 

Xinhua Bridge demolition

Fuxing Bridge (Qiangjiang 4th Bridge) over the Qiantang River in Hangzhou (China)

Thunder heard a hundred miles,
The song of the lute falls still.
Horsemen stream from the compound gate
And riverside watch for the tide.
The sun hangs far in the autumn air,
Clouds float on the vastness of sea.
Then an egret wave like a surge of snow
All at once, a frost-born chill.

Poet Meng Haoran 

about Qiantang River weekly tide

Millenium Bridge over the river Tyne between Gateshead and Newcastle upon Tyne, England (United Kingdom)

Tilting bridge opens eye to the world.

The world's first rotating bridge, which features a radical engineering design, has opened to the public. About 30,000 people enjoyed the chance to walk or cycle over the Gateshead Millennium Bridge, which straddles the River Tyne in north-east England. Engineers have been working on the futuristic "blinking eye" structure since it was floated up the river into position in November 2000.

 17 September, 2001

BBC News

Bridge in Xitang Ancient Town, Zhejiang (China)

“The fate of the bridges is to be lonely; because bridges are to cross not to stay!” 

Mehmet Murat Ildan

Bridge crossing the Kharkiv River in Kharkiv (Ukraine)

Since ages of old

Our countrymen are known to the world

From forefathers to sons

The Cossack family goes stronger on and on 

Kharkiv Region, our native country

We’ll be true to you as long as we live

Virgin Mary of Ozeryany

Blessed our future years

Excerpt from the Kharkiv Anthem

Pont Neuf spanning the Garonne River in Toulouse, Haute Garonne (France)

Le brouillard de la Garonne

Habillait les rues muettes,

Les platanes s'endormaient,

Dans les paroles du vent.

Des chevaux de nuit,de neige,

Parcouraient les boulevards,

des lanternes de vieil or,

Dansaient autour des crinières.

....

Beginning of La ville en poésie ,1979, 

about Toulouse by Pierre Gamarra