Bridges are, by definition, built to connect two distant points, usually too far apart to become one. They symbolize something that seems impossible, yet becomes real thanks to the power of engineering.
A bit like dreams.
That’s why bridges have often played a starring role in the ultimate dream factory: art.
1. Ponte Farnese, Rome
If there’s one bridge that perfectly captures the idea of a dream, it’s the Ponte Farnese — a bridge that was never actually built. It was the dream of Cardinal Farnese, who envisioned a crossing over the Tiber to connect Palazzo Farnese to the gardens of Villa Farnesina in Rome.
This bridge remained nothing more than a project by Michelangelo until July 2021, when it finally came to life as “Ponte Farnese: A Bridge Between Eras”, a public art installation promoted by Webuild and designed by French artist Olivier Grossetête.
The work, made entirely of cardboard with the help of local citizens, was lifted into the Roman sky above the Tiber by helium balloons on July 13, 2021.
2. The Bridges of Madison County (1995)
The Roseman and Holliwell bridges in Iowa might have remained unknown to most if not for Clint Eastwood, who made them the centerpiece of his romantic film with Meryl Streep, “The Bridges of Madison County”, a massive box office and critical success.
Fun fact: Madison County is also known as the birthplace of John Wayne and for its collection of charming covered bridges, including those featured in the film.
3. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
When you think of a war movie, David Lean’s “The Bridge on the River Kwai” is probably one of the first that comes to mind, and with good reason: it won seven Academy Awards.
The bridge is located in Thailand’s Kanchanaburi province, about 75 miles west of Bangkok. Its arched sections are original (built by the Japanese during World War II), while the two trapezoidal truss spans were added by Japan after the war as part of reparations.
4. Queensboro Bridge in “Manhattan” (1979)
A shot from behind, black-and-white cinematography deepening the mood, a man and a woman sitting on a bench gazing at the Queensboro Bridge, the iconic Manhattan bridge that links Manhattan and Brooklyn.
It’s one of the most memorable scenes in Woody Allen’s “Manhattan”, and arguably one of the most iconic in all of film history. At the heart of the shot is the majestic New York bridge, completed in 1909.
5. The Japanese Footbridge and the Water Lily Pool (Claude Monet, 1899)
Arguably one of Monet’s most famous works and one he recreated dozens of times.
The footbridge spanned a lily pond on his own estate in Giverny, built by the artist himself after being inspired in 1884 by the elegant curve of a medieval bridge in the Italian village of Dolceacqua.
6. The Langlois Bridge at Arles with Women Washing (Vincent van Gogh, 1888)
Van Gogh painted a whole series of works featuring the pedestrian Langlois Bridge, named after its elderly caretaker.
Among the different versions, the artist favored the 1888 one, now housed at the Wallraf-Richartz Museum in Cologne. In this painting, Van Gogh captures a moment of pure calm and rural life.
7. The Rialto Bridge from the North (Canaletto, 1725)
Famous bridges in Venice, like the Rialto Bridge, have been painted countless times across the centuries, but this work by Canaletto is among the most celebrated.
With his masterful use of light and shadow, Canaletto gives the scene a dramatic, almost theatrical intensity.
