Sydney Harbour Bridge

Opened In 1932, The Single Span Steel Arch Known Locally As The Coathanger Carries Road, Rail, Cyclists And Pedestrians Across Sydney Harbour, With A Guided Climb To The Summit Arch And A Free Pedestrian Walkway Giving The Harbour'S Best View · Sydney, New South Wales

The Sydney Harbour Bridge opened in 1932 after construction that took eight years, using two half-arches built out from each shore and meeting in the middle, a method so unusual at the time that engineers from around the world watched the join take shape. Locally it is simply the Coathanger, for its single steel arch silhouette across the harbour between the central business district and the North Shore. Road traffic, two train lines, a dedicated cycle path and a wide pedestrian walkway all cross on the same deck, carrying far more people and vehicles today than its 1930s engineers ever planned for. A separate guided climb takes small harnessed groups up external catwalks past the arch's rivets and girders to the summit, a genuinely different experience from simply walking across, and one that began only in 1998 after decades of the arch being climbed informally and illegally by maintenance crews and a handful of thrill-seekers. The free pedestrian walkway on the eastern side gives a harbour view that rivals anything paid for elsewhere in the city.

Spanning Sydney Harbour between the CBD and the North Shore, beside Circular Quay and The Rocks, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

The bridge itself carries traffic and pedestrians around the clock with no closing time, since it is a working road and rail crossing, not an attraction with gates. The free pedestrian walkway and cycle path are open at all hours, though quieter and less lit late at night. Guided bridge climbs run on a timed schedule from early morning into the evening, with the first and last climbs of the day varying by season, and climbs are cancelled or shortened in lightning, high wind or heavy rain for safety.

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