Peace Bridge

The Peace Bridge opened in 2011 as a pedestrian and cycle crossing over the River Foyle, linking the largely nationalist west bank of the city to the largely unionist Waterside on the east. The design — a sinuous S-curve of weathering steel — has become the city's most recognisable modern landmark.

The crossing links the old city centre to the former Ebrington Barracks, a British Army base that closed in 2003 and has been redeveloped as a public space for events, galleries, and markets. Walking the bridge gives good views up and down the river. It takes about five minutes to cross, and the views from it are worth the short detour from the city walls circuit.

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A story
The bridge's S-curve design was intentional: the architect wanted walkers to face each other as they crossed, making the act of crossing a physical metaphor for meeting in the middle. When it opened in 2011, it was the first pedestrian bridge across the Foyle in 400 years — in a city divided along the river for most of those years, the symbolism was not subtle.

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