Today is a very special anniversary in Lisbon, an anniversary that commemorates the birth of the symbol of the city. Its about Vasco da Gama Bridge, who was born on that day as today in 1998, that is, turns 25 years old. Since its construction it has become the symbol of the city, being one of the great achievements of the Expo that was held that year in the capital.
This spectacular and famous bridge has 17 kilometers long, 10 of them on the Mar de la Paja, at the mouth of the Tagus River, while the remaining 7 are on land. It was built to be an alternative to the chaotic traffic that arose every day on the 25 de Abril Bridge, although it is clear that it was also a great advance for the city to become a modern city.
Curiosities
Many curiosities surround the Vasco da Gama Bridge, such as being so long it cannot be completely straight or that it is capable of withstanding an earthquake four times larger than the one that struck the city in 1755, in addition to winds exceeding 250 kilometers per hour . The bridge is divided into four parts, and its construction was used 100 tons of steel, 730,000 cubic meters of concrete and 150 precast beams.
More of 3,000 people They worked on its construction, and 11 of them lost their lives, of which 6 died when falling from a height of 45 meters. On the bridge there is a plaque that remembers those deaths. There are 6 lanes for traffic, and to cross it you have to pay toll, although it is definitely worth it as you save all the traffic jam in other areas. Not only is crossing this bridge fantastic, but simply looking at it is spectacular. More than a bridge, a monument.
Scenic drive from Lisbon, Portugal to Lisbon Portela de Sacavém Airport, Portugal (April 2024)
- Lisbon, bridges
- 1,230
