Ben van Berkel, 1997
Kop van Zuid
Rotterdam

This imposing bridge in Rotterdam has been a subject of admiration since 1997. The young Amsterdam architect Ben van Berkel broke away with his design from the idea of a plain functional construction and created an architectural work of art with this bridge. The cable-stayed bridge links the northern and southern (Kop van Zuid) halves of the city with a 2,600-foot span in spectacular style. Steel cables slung over a pylon that is bent to counter the forces of tension support the bridge deck. The structure has many nicknames, one of them being 'The Swan,' because of its graceful posture over the water.

The Erasmus Bridge is not only the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world, it is also the highest bridge in Holland. The price was a mere 165 million Euros. The Erasmus Bridge is such a dramatic departure in bridge building that it has even become part of the city of Rotterdam's official city logo.