An impressive bridge found in Africa that is said to rival the Eiffel Tower | World | News
A rapidly developing African city has a stunning bridge with a structure that has been compared to one of Europe’s great monuments.
Opened on August 12, 2023, the Alassane Ouattara Bridge is a 630-meter-long bridge and was designed by architect Pierre Fakhoury.
Named after the current Ivorian president, the bridge is an engineering marvel and has become a critical infrastructure project for Abidjan – the Ivory Coast’s biggest city.
It links the communes of Cocody and Plateau and recalls the modernist architecture of Aldo Spirito’s St. Paul’s Cathedral.
The bridge became the capital’s major crossing point with locals and visitors coming to admire Alassane Ouattara’s impressive structure.
One motorcyclist, who, like many others, parks his vehicle on the massive bridge described it as being “better than the Eiffel Tower” when talking to French outlet Le Monde.
The Alassane Ouattara Bridge soars over 100 metres high looking out across the Cocody Bay and features a distinctive cable-stayed design – the first-of-its-kind in both the Ivory Coast and West Africa.
In the evening, the bridge is lit up with white, orange, and green lights which represent the Ivorian flag and has become a symbol of the capital’s metamorphosis.
The bridge’s resemblance has been debated over the years with some saying it resembles a long kora which is a musical instrument popular in West Africa.
Known also as the Cocody Bridge, the structure can accommodate up to 3,000 vehicles and was constructed to help relieve traffic flow within Abidjan.
The Alassane Ouattara Bridge soars over 100 meters high looking out across the Cocody Bay and features a distinctive cable-stayed design – the first-of-its-kind in both Côte d’Ivoire and West Africa.
In the evening, the bridge is lit up with white, orange and green lights which represent the Ivorian flag and has become a symbol of the capital’s metamorphosis.
The bridge’s resemblance has been debated over the years with some saying it resembles a long kora which is a musical instrument popular in West Africa.
Known also as the Cocody Bridge, the structure can accommodate up to 3,000 vehicles and was constructed to help relieve traffic flow within Abidjan.
The bridge also works as a divide between the city’s bustling commercial centre and its quieter residential neighborhoods.
Work on the Alassane Ouattara Bridge began in 2019 and took four years to complete rather than the two years initially planned.
China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) carried out the work on the bridge while the project was wholly financed by the Islamic Development Bank.
Ivorian architect, Guillaume Koffi described the bridge as being “a beautiful work, a new landmark in the city.”
