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10 Terrifying Bridges That Will Make Your Heart Race

Brian Sepp — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 15:48:16 +0000

Some people have always been frightened of bridges. The 10 terrifying bridges we’re about to explore will make even seasoned adventurers break a sweat. Gephyrophobia sufferers often detour for miles just to avoid a crossing, while those with a fear of heights find themselves clutching railings and praying for a solid floor.

Why These 10 Terrifying Bridges Make Your Pulse Race

10 Royal Gorge Bridge Colorado

The Royal Gorge Bridge, once the world’s highest bridge until 2001, was erected in 1929 for a modest $350,000. Spanning 384 metres (1,260 ft) across Colorado’s spectacular Royal Gorge, it hangs over the Arkansas River that roars 291 metres (955 ft) below, occasionally swallowing white‑water rafters battling the currents.

Construction wrapped up in a brisk six months. Each of the two main cables weighs 200 tons and bundles 2,100 individual wires. The deck comprises 1,292 wooden planks bolted to the base. Lacking a vertical truss, the bridge sways with every footfall, which can feel unsettling when you’re perched above a raging river almost a thousand feet down.

If the thought of that motion makes you queasy, you can skip the bridge altogether and hop on the aerial gondolas that whisk you safely to the opposite side without a single heartbeat‑racing step.

9 Titlis Cliff Walk Switzerland

To conquer the Titlis Cliff Walk you first climb Mount Titlis, where the bridge awaits you at the summit. A short trek through a glacier cave and an underground tunnel brings you to the narrow walkway.

Perched roughly 3,000 metres (10,000 ft) above sea level, the bridge stretches 100 metres (330 ft) but is a mere 1 metre (3.3 ft) wide. It spans a chasm about 500 metres (1,600 ft) deep, forcing walkers to thread a single‑file line across roughly 150 steps. The sheer drop below makes every heartbeat audible.

Once you’ve braved the walk, you can catch the “Ice Flyer” chairlift to the other side of the glacier – a reminder that the world can be both terrifying and exhilarating in equal measure.

8 Marienbrucke Germany

Marienbrucke, also known as Queen Mary’s Bridge, sits on the estate of Bavaria’s fairy‑tale Neuschwanstein Castle. The bridge arches 90 metres (295 ft) over the Pollat River, framing breathtaking views of the castle perched on a cliff.

King Ludwig II commissioned the bridge in the 1840s as a birthday present for his consort, Marie, who delighted in mountain climbing and apparently had a fondness for heights. The structure was built solely for the pleasure of admiring the scenery.

7 Puente De Ojuela Mexico

Even the winding road that leads to Puente de Ojuela is a challenge, but the bridge itself is downright terrifying. Stretching about 300 metres (1,000 ft) and suspended nearly 100 metres (327 ft) above a deep ravine, the bridge is a skinny 0.6 metres (2 ft) wide.

Constructed in 1898 to ferry gold, silver, and supplies from local mines, the bridge sways underfoot. Although handrails are present, the wide gaps between the planks give a clear view straight down to the canyon. Traffic moves both ways, so walkers often find themselves jostled as they cross.

If you muster the courage to step onto this historic rope‑bridge – designed by the same engineers who built the Brooklyn Bridge – you’ll be rewarded with a ghost‑town museum and the remnants of an abandoned mine, though many would rather stay on the safer side.

6 The Hanging Bridge Of Ghasa Nepal

The Hanging Bridge of Ghasa, often dubbed the Swinging Bridge of Ghasa, sways dramatically in high‑altitude winds, creating a heart‑pounding experience for locals, visitors, and even the occasional cow.

Despite its delicate appearance, the bridge proves surprisingly sturdy, supporting both pedestrians and cattle. To keep the animals calm, some herders even blindfold their livestock – a practice that would be hilarious if it weren’t so nerve‑wracking.

Built to ease congestion on nearby crossings, the bridge sees daily traffic, turning the idea of a traffic jam into a literal, swaying nightmare.

5 Iya Kazurabashi Japan

Hidden in Japan’s Iya Valley, the Iya Kazurabashi vine bridge stretches 45 metres (148 ft) across the Iyagawa River, hovering just 14 metres (46 ft) above the water.

Constructed from hardy kiwi vines, the bridge isn’t the most durable material – the vines rot over time – but the ancient builders chose them deliberately. The vines could be cut quickly in case of an invader, denying the enemy a crossing.

Every three years the bridge is rebuilt, with vines lashed to towering cedar trees on either side. Modern safety measures hide steel ropes within the vines, yet the wide gaps between the steps and the wild swaying still manage to send a chill down the spine of most visitors.

4 Q’eswachaka Bridge Peru

The Q’eswachaka Bridge, perched on the ancient Inca Trail through the Andes, is the last surviving example of an Inca suspension bridge. These bridges were vital for connecting the sprawling Inca Empire and continued to serve local communities for centuries.

In times of conflict, the bridges were deliberately cut down to protect inhabitants from invaders; many were burned during the Spanish conquest. The bridge’s floor, handrails, and vertical ties are all woven from natural fibers, while stone pillars anchor the cables on each side.

Crossing the bridge is far from smooth – the loose, woven construction allows a clear view of the river below, making every step feel precarious. Each year, local villagers harvest grass, braid it into new cables, and pull the ropes across from opposite ends, meeting in the middle. The entire rebuild takes just three days, after which the communities celebrate the renewed link.

3 Kuandinsky Bridge Russia

The Kuandinsky Bridge stretches a rugged 570 metres (1,870 ft) over the Vitim River in Siberia. Originally built for rail traffic, it now serves as an unofficial vehicle crossing despite being only about 2 metres (6.6 ft) wide and lacking any railings or safety features.

Rust has gnawed the steel, and the wooden sleepers have rotted under the harsh Siberian climate. Locals, perhaps driven a little mad by the perpetual cold, have turned the bridge into a shortcut, despite heavy vehicles often breaking the sleepers. Travelers must stop, replace missing planks with any scrap wood they can find, and even contend with the slippery surface that stays wet year‑round.

2 Hongyagu Bridge China

Designers of Hebei’s Hongyagu Bridge clearly have a twisted sense of fun. Opened at the end of 2017, the glass‑floored suspension bridge spans 488 metres (1,601 ft) across a sheer drop of 220 metres (722 ft). The transparent panels, only 4 centimetres (1.6 in) thick, give walkers the unsettling impression of walking on air.

The bridge can hold up to 2,000 people, but only 600 are permitted at once for safety. Visitors must wear “shoe gloves” to protect the glass from scratches – a quirky requirement that adds to the experience.

To further heighten the drama, staff are stationed along the span to assist faint‑hearted tourists, and sound effects make it seem as though the glass is cracking beneath each step, though it’s all an illusion.

1 Hussaini Hanging Bridge Pakistan

The Hussaini Hanging Bridge in Pakistan barely qualifies as a bridge at all. The current version, rebuilt after a weather‑destroyed predecessor, is a rope‑and‑plank structure constantly battered by icy winds that make it sway violently.

At least ten locals have perished while crossing, according to villagers. A slip would send you plunging into the raging river below. Tourists often tiptoe onto the bridge for a quick photo before hurrying back, but residents rely on it daily, even hauling heavy packs across the precarious span.

Despite its grim reputation, the bridge remains a vital link for the community, a testament to human resilience in the face of terrifying engineering.

10 Awesome Cross Dressers from The Past

Marcus Ribeiro — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 19:16:43 +0000

Cross-dressing is not a new phenomenon, not a result of modern day individualism. It dates back to centuries. Transvestitism allows people to express themselves based on their internal awareness. Here is a list of 10 awesome individuals who dared to cross dress:

The list of top 10 awesome cross Dressers from the history:

10. Elagabu (204-222)

Under the guidance of his aunt, Elagabu became the Emperor of Rome at the young age of 14. Even though he was the emperor, he preferred clothing like a women. It is said that he’d got, all his body hair removed and wore makeup. He probably had his heart set on his chariot driver, Hierocles whom he referred to, as his husband. Once, Elagabu had voiced his wish to a doctor that he wanted to become a woman and that the doctor would be paid huge money if he could only grant his wish. Needless to say, in the traditional Roman society Elagabu was not a popular king, all the more because he married a priestess who had earlier sworn herself to virginity. At the age of 18, Elagabu, the emperor was assassinated.

9. Francois De Choisy (1644-1724)

De Choisy was made to dress up as a girl till the age of 18, by his mother. It is said that this was done because De Choisy was the playmate of Princess Philippe I, who was dressed like a girl too, so that the prince would not be seen as a threat to his older brother, King Louis XIV. Even when an adult, De Choisy went on wearing women dresses because he couldn’t get fond of men’s clothing. Soon, he became quite a fashion icon among the ladies of the realm who often visited him for fashion advice; and he even ended up impregnating one of them. In 1773, Francois De Choisy published his most famous book ‘The Transvestite Memoirs’.

8. Mary Read (1690 – 1721)

Since her childhood, Read was brought up as a boy by her mother. At a very young age she joined the British Army and it was during her service at the army that she came across pirates. She decided ‘pirating’ was her calling in life, therefore joined a bunch of pirates and managed to attract the attention of another female pirate, Anne Bonney. All this while Read was disguised as a man, so one can imagine poor Bonney’s disappointment when she came to know about Read’s sexuality. At any rate, legend has it, that they later became lifelong companion. In 1720, together they were captured and became the only women to have been ever convicted of piracy.

Interesting stuffs: A story goes, that Read had once, during a dual ripped open her shirt and managed to defeat her opponent who had no clue that he was fighting a woman.

7. Queen Christina of Sweden (1626-1689)

The king wanted her daughter to grow up tough, for she was the heir to the throne. So he decided to bring her up like a boy. He often took her to bear-hunting which later became Christina’s favorite pastime. She was coroneted at the age of 18 but under constant pressure of marriage and the need of producing heir, Queen Christina abdicated her throne ten years later and fled to Sweden disguised as a man. There she spent some times, often in a man’s getup. Later she turned to Catholicism and went to Rome were she was granted a special permission to wear men’s cloths. Christina is one of the only two women who are buried in St. Peter’s Church in Rome.

6. Deborah Samson (1760-1827)

During the American Revolutionary War, Samson got herself enlisted into the army using her deceased brother’s name. She fought bravely dressed as a man. When she got wounded at the battlefield she insisted her fellow comrades to leave her to die because she was afraid of the revelation of her true identity. Her fellow soldiers, ignoring her wish, took her to the hospital from where she escaped. She managed to pull out the bullet from her thigh on her own. However on another occasion she was admitted to the hospital and the secret was discovered. She was given a honorary discharge. After this, Samson went on to various speaking tours dressed in her uniform; eventually she married and had children.

Interesting stuffs: Samson was, by no means the only woman to have pulled off such a trick. One estimate, calculated that there were as many as 300 women who had fought in the Revolutionary War dressed as a woman.

5. Charles D’eon (1728-1810)

D’Eon was a French diplomat and a spy, he was sent to Russia in the year 1756 to brighten up the relationship between the two countries. And the extent to which he went to achieve his obligation was remarkable. He got himself dresses as a woman and was the maid of honor to the Russian Empresses. From then, speculation started doing the round regarding D’Eon sexuality. Thing got so heated up that even bets were being placed in the London Stock Exchange. Upon D’Eon’s return, he revealed that he was actually a woman brought up as a man for ‘inheritance’ purpose and since then he was allowed by the French King to wear woman’s cloth. At any rate, after death, doctors revealed that D’Eon was, biologically a woman.

4. Marina The Monk

Marina was born in fifth century Lebanon. She took the name Marinos to join her father in a monastery and since then lived like a boy. However after her father’s death, she was accused of impregnating a woman who lived nearby the monastery. Instead of revealing herself, she silently bore her punishment of fostering the child. It was when Marina died at the age of 40, that she was finally discovered to be a woman. The girl who had once accused Marina for seduction admitted her lie.

Interesting stuffs: Marina wasn’t the only one of her kind; women seeking religious lives have entered often reclined to portraying themselves as men. Pope Joan was rumoured to have been a woman undercover.

3. Shi Pei-Pu (1938-2009)

At 26 years of age Shi Pei-Pu was employed as a male opera singer and had an admirer named Bernard Boursicot. Boursicot who worked at the French Embassy in Beijing, convinced Shi that he was actually a woman trapped in a man’s body and they soon embarked on an affair that lasted for 20 years. Boursicot was later accused of giving out information’s and documents that served Shi’s position in the Communist party. In 1982, when Boursicot & Shi were arrested in Paris on accounts of spying, Shi’s identity was brought to light and Boursicot, afraid of the humiliation the revelation would bring, tried to kill Shi by slashing his throat. Shi, however survived.

2. Isabelle Eberhardt (1877-1904)

Isabelle was born in Switzerland but in 1897, her family moved to North Africa. While growing up in an Arab Islamic society she knew she’d have to do things differently to get to do what she wants. So she adopted the name Si Mahmoud Essadi and became an explorer. She had once served as a spy during the Algerian revolt against France. Later, disguised as a man, she enter into a Sufi sect called Qadiriyya and eventually initiated on the life of a ‘fakir’ or the ‘holy man’.

1. Joan Of Arch (1412-1431)

It was During the Hundred Years War that a young girl heard voices from above asking her to lead the army to victory. So she cut her hair and dressed like a man headed to fulfill her duty. Joan, managed to convince Charles VII, heir to the French throne and led the French army to success. Following which Charles became the king. When 19 years-old, Joan was arrested and subjected to trials for cross-dressing. She was burned at the stake. Later however, justice prevailed and on realizing the mistake that have been committed, Joan was honored as a saint by the Catholic Church and the saviour of France.

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