The Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, also known as the Pearl Bridge, is the longest suspension bridge at 1,991 meters (6,532 feet) in the world. It spans the Akashi Strait in Japan connecting Kobe on the mainland and Iwaya on Awayi Island.\u00a0Construction began in 1988. Ten years and 2 million workers later, the bridge was opened in 1998. It was a monumental engineering feat that required enough steel cable to encircle the earth seven times.<\/p>\n
This suspension bridge\u00a0applies some of the best architectural design and technology across the three spans. It\u00a0has been designed to withstand earthquakes and harsh sea conditions. The Kobe earthquake in January 17, 1995 is an example of the bridge\u2019s strength.<\/p>\n
Its towers also enter into\u00a0a few\u00a0record books. They are 928 feet high, making it the third tallest in the world, after the Villau Viaduct and the Sutong Bridge in China. Being the tallest doesn\u2019t necessarily make it the highest. Highest is measured by distance between the surface of the bridge and the ground\/water surface below.<\/p>\n
Check back each week for more #flashback Friday facts!<\/p>\n