The Harbour Bridge is the other great Sydney icon, a single-arch steel bridge spanning 503 metres across the widest part of the harbour. Completed in 1932 after nine years of construction, it was then the widest long-span bridge in the world. Eight traffic lanes, two rail tracks, a cycle path and a footway cross it, and it remains the main vehicular link between the CBD and the North Shore.
Walking or cycling across the bridge is free and takes about 20 minutes on foot. The view from the pedestrian walkway — looking east toward Circular Quay, the Opera House and the harbour — is one of the classic Sydney perspectives. For those who want to go higher, BridgeClimb offers guided climbs to the summit arch, 134 metres above sea level, with panoramic views of the city and harbour. The pylon lookout at the southeastern end has exhibits on the bridge's construction and an open-air viewing platform at roughly half the arch's height.