Clifton Suspension Bridge

Brunel's Victorian masterpiece spanning the Avon Gorge above Bristol

Designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 1831 but not completed until 1864 — five years after his death — the Clifton Suspension Bridge stretches 214 metres across the Avon Gorge at a height of 75 metres. The ironwork chains were salvaged from Brunel's earlier Hungerford Bridge in London after it was demolished. Walking across is free and takes about ten minutes; the views down into the gorge and back toward the city are spectacular. The visitor centre on the Leigh Woods side has the history and engineering detail if you want it.

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