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A LONGER VERSION OF THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE ========================================== The Ponte 25 de Abril is a beautiful bridge in Lisbon, Portugal. It totally looks like the Golden Gate Bridge and is 2.28 miles long. The style is exactly the same as the Golden Gate Bridge as it is a suspension bridge with two towers and cables. On July 5, 2024, my family and I drove across the bridge for the first time even though it was our second time visiting Portugal. We crossed it while driving south to Lagos in the Algarve region from Cascais. Traffic in Lisbon is similar to San Francisco, so give yourself plenty of time to cross the bridge.
Beautiful bridge that spans the Tagus River and carries not only IP7 and A2 but also two rail tracks. It joins the cities of Lisbon on the north bank and Pragal on the south bank. It was originally named the Salazar Bridge after the prime minister who oversaw its construction but after the Carnation Revolution when he was overthrown, it has the name Ponte 25 de Abril. With a total length of 2.277 km (1.41 miles), it has a clearance of 70 meters over the water. It was completed in 1966 and is currently the 43rd longest suspension bridge in the world. It's interesting to "hear" this bridge from all over the Lisbon valley. This is because the wo inner lanes are made of metallic grating rather than asphalt to minimize aerodynamic forces. Unfortunately, the bridge is not open to pedestrian traffic. There is a €1.85 toll for passenger cars but only for northbound traffic. I've seen the bridge up close from the north side and from the overlook terrace of the Christ statue on the hills of Almada as well as from the air when my plane flew in to LIS airport https://www.yelp.com/biz/aeroporto-de-lisboa-lisboa?hrid=to3RxlhJQ73Pbb8QqZktZg. [Review 16632 overall - 148 in Portugal - 143 of 2022.]
Originally called the Salazar Bridge in honor of the Prime Minister & renamed on Ponte 25 de Abril the date of the Revolution. In 1962 the United States Steel Export Company began construction of the bridge. It looks like the Golden Gate Bridge because Morrison-Knudsen of Portugal Ltd., an American firm based in Boise, Idaho, was U.S. Steel's principal associate. Morrison-Knudsen had previously worked on the San Francisco Bay Bridge. The bridge was designed by Steinman, Boynton, Gronquist and London of New York, and Tudor Engineering Company of San Francisco. The steel was imported from the US. Four workers died, out of a total of 3,000 who worked on the site. Construction took a total of 2,185,000 man-hours of work. The total cost of the bridge came to 2.2 billion Portuguese escudos, or US$32 million (US$225 million in 2011 adjusted for inflation).
I have a sweet spot in my heart for San Francisco, so I knew at the first glimpse, I will love this bridge. The bridge was originally named by a dictator- António de Oliveira Salazar, but his regime was overturned by revolution that took place on 25th of April 1974, so the bridge changed name too and it carries in my opinion quite unusual name-25th April bridge or Ponte 25 de Abril (also an important holiday). This bridge is somewhat longer than Golden Gate Bridge in California, although built by the same company and it is the longest suspension bridge in Europe. The bridge cannot be crossed on a foot, and there is a toll if crossing Tagus River to Lisbon (from Almada) or South to North.
My wife and I were on a Gate1 tour, going to Lisbon from Evora. As soon as we saw the bridge, it reminded us so much of our San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge! Itis a Golden Gate Bridge look-alike in Lisbon. This bridge has solid foundations, the south tower extends for 80 metres below the water level, which to this day, is still a world record. The bridge spans 2.5 kilometres and is longer than that of the Golden Gate. The bridge in Lisbon opened in 1966, nearly 30 years after construction finished on San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. It was originally called the Salazar Bridge, after Portugal's prime minister and dictator at the time. When a revolution overthrew the government in 1974, the name of the bridge was changed to the new independence date -- Ponte 25 de Abril. Three similarities: International Orange color, Suspension, and . . . Both bridges have been in James Bond films. The Ponte 25 de Abril was in On Her Majesty's Secret Service from 1969. The Golden Gate was a location for A View to a Kill, a 1985 James Bond movie with Roger Moore. You can also see a statue that is a copy of the Brazil's Christ the Redeemer statue of Rio de Janeiro, after the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon visited that monument. The Sanctuary of Christ the King (Portuguese: Santuário de Cristo Rei) is a Catholic monument and shrine dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ overlooking the city of Lisbon situated in Almada. The project was inaugurated on 17 May 1959. The giant statue was erected to express gratitude because the Portuguese were spared the direct destructive effects of World War II.
Amazing monument. I'm so glad we made the trip out to see this. It is a lovely bridge very much like the golden gate and it honors the carnation revolution.
Lisbon has so many things about it that reminds me of San Francisco, this bridge plays a huge part in it. I saw it everyday from my hotel balcony and it was just really nice to feel like you're...in your home state, almost. The name of the bridge may be weird to some but it's the day that they changed the power over and it represents it's independence from the dictator.
Since Lisbon and San Francisco are often cited for their many similarities, it is an appropriate coincidence that the 25 de Abril Bridge is based on two SF bridges. The paint on Ponte 25 de Abril is the same "International Orange" as the Golden Gate Bridge, and its design is similar to that of the Bay Bridge. AND, both the Bay Bridge and Ponte 25 de Abril were built by the same company. This bridge was our first piece of Lisbon, as we drove into the city (all the way from Seville) on a cold and rainy night. Unfortunately, we couldn't see much, except lights from the city, blurred by the rain, but it was still exciting to be crossing Ponte 25 de Abril as a grand entrance. There were tolls along the highway getting to the bridge, but none just before or after the bridge itself. No traffic late at night when we arrived. Later, we had beautiful views of the bridge, which can be seen from many points in the city, but my favorite views were from Bario Alto, where we stayed, particularly from Miradouro de Santa Catarina, and the rooftop restaurant, Madame Petisca. This bridge is definitely a very neat part of the city, and a stylish, exciting way to enter by car!
This bridge is a great tourist attraction for Lisbon. It looks so much like the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge.The views from the Belem Tower on the waterfront are really good on a clear day.
11 days ago
The Ponte 25 de Abril has held records, but also holds a unique place in my heart. It was Europe's first and largest suspension bridge and, rather than being located in one of Europe's industrial powerhouses, it was built in Lisbon, Portugal, opening in 1966. It has a place in my heart because it was the first suspension bridge I recall both seeing and even sailing under. When there was transatlantic ocean liner service between New York and Italy, Lisbon was often the first port of call traveling eastbound and last port of call if traveling to United States. The approach from the Atlantic up the Tagus (Tejo) River to Lisbon's natural river harbor is already impressive and this suspension bridge becomes the icing on the cake. Seeing it as a youngster when you can barely see over the railing of the promenade decks of a ship makes quite an impression. We were told to wake up and get dressed, not just to disembark to take a tour of Lisbon, but to also experience sailing up the Tagus River to dock. While Lisbon sits on the north shore of the very wide river and harbor, growing bedroom communities sat on the south shore. Ferries would shuttle back and forth, mostly connecting Lisbon's waterfront to Cacilhas and Barreiro. The Ponte 25 de Abril instead connects Lisbon's more westerly areas near the docks and Belem to Almada. The roadway becomes quite elevated on the Lisbon side and is only accessible far back near Amoreiras, but enters the south shore atop Almada's bluff. The layout is especially enhanced by the slightly higher placement of Cristo Rei on the edge of the bluff in Almada. It is the Lisbon area's equivalent of the statue of Cristo Redentor high up above Rio de Janeiro. The bridge might instinctively be compared to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. That's because of its "international red" color. The reality is that the design is probably closer to that of one of the spans of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and it was the builder of that bridge that also built the Lisbon bridge. There are three lanes of traffic in each direction on the upper deck. The provision to add rail service on the lower deck was incorporated into the design, but became a reality much later. North-south rail service in Portugal used to have a gap. One would cross the wider Tagus to and from Barreiro via ferry if going to or coming from the south of Portugal. Now, Comboios de Portugal's Alfa Pendular and Intercity trains travel on the lower deck of the Ponte 25 de Abril, in addition to commuter rail. The toll is only charged in one direction and the toll plaza, located in Almada, fans out to make room for the many lanes and booths. How many ways have I experienced this grand suspension bridge? Probably in more ways than any other major bridge in the world! I've sailed under it on an ocean liner, I've been next to it using the Transfluvial ferries, and I've been over it on Carris Lisbon area buses, long distance trains, commuter rail, and even in a rental car or two. Each time is exciting. This bridge's history is in lock step with Portugal's history. Dictator Antonio Salazar commissioned it and the bridge once bore his name. The peaceful overthrow of his regime on April 25, 1974 slowly brought democracy back to the country and that date became the new and current name of the bridge. Locals are less formal about it and might just refer to it as "a ponte" (the bridge) or "a ponte vermelha" (the red bridge). It was ironic to me that this native Southern Californian would not see the Golden Gate Bridge until the very end of high school. That's when kids take their "emanciation road trip," making a triangular journey between Southern California, Lake Tahoe, and the Bay Area, and which can be traveled in any direction. It was definitely memorable to see the lengthy workhorse that is the Bay Bridge and the picturesque Golden Gate Bridge for the first time before heading off to college. There is no such such thing as too much of the Ponte 25 de Abril. It frames every vista of Lisbon and its harbor beautifully. With its ability to carry a significant amount of traffic and other means of transport on its lower deck, it also combines beauty and brains. read more
11 months ago
Ponte 25 de Abril is a suspension bridge that opened in 1966 and crosses the Tagus River to connect Lisbon with Almada. It received its current name after a military coup that occurred on April 25, 1974. The bridge is about 2,300 meters long and about 190 meters tall with a clearance of about 70 meters. Its design resembles the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, because it was built but the same company, American Bridge Company. The bridge is for use by vehicles and trains. It may also be viewed by cruise ships and container ships that pass under the bridge. I saw this bridge up close when I was on a cruise ship that sailed under the bridge. I took a video in which I could see the individual vehicles driving across the bridge. Apparently two of the lanes are made from see-through metal grating rather than asphalt to help the wind to pass through. read more
The 2,300m long suspension bridge is an iconic sight that can be spotted in the distance at several locations within Lisbon. At one end you can also spot "Christ the King" monument, which is inspired by Brazil's "Christ the Redeemer". The red color is the same as the Golden Gate Bridge- International Orange. The design is similar to the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge because both were built by the same company- American Bridge Company. There's six car lanes on the upper deck with two train tracks added later on the lower deck. read more
A LONGER VERSION OF THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE ========================================== The Ponte 25 de Abril is a beautiful bridge in Lisbon, Portugal. It totally looks like the Golden Gate Bridge and is 2.28 miles long. The style is exactly the same as the Golden Gate Bridge as it is a suspension bridge with two towers and cables. On July 5, 2024, my family and I drove across the bridge for the first time even though it was our second time visiting Portugal. We crossed it while driving south to Lagos in the Algarve region from Cascais. Traffic in Lisbon is similar to San Francisco, so give yourself plenty of time to cross the bridge. read more
Beautiful bridge that spans the Tagus River and carries not only IP7 and A2 but also two rail tracks. It joins the cities of Lisbon on the north bank and Pragal on the south bank. It was originally named the Salazar Bridge after the prime minister who oversaw its construction but after the Carnation Revolution when he was overthrown, it has the name Ponte 25 de Abril. With a total length of 2.277 km (1.41 miles), it has a clearance of 70 meters over the water. It was completed in 1966 and is currently the 43rd longest suspension bridge in the world. It's interesting to "hear" this bridge from all over the Lisbon valley. This is because the wo inner lanes are made of metallic grating rather than asphalt to minimize aerodynamic forces. Unfortunately, the bridge is not open to pedestrian traffic. There is a €1.85 toll for passenger cars but only for northbound traffic. I've seen the bridge up close from the north side and from the overlook terrace of the Christ statue on the hills of Almada as well as from the air when my plane flew in to LIS airport https://www.yelp.com/biz/aeroporto-de-lisboa-lisboa?hrid=to3RxlhJQ73Pbb8QqZktZg. [Review 16632 overall - 148 in Portugal - 143 of 2022.] read more
Originally called the Salazar Bridge in honor of the Prime Minister & renamed on Ponte 25 de Abril the date of the Revolution. In 1962 the United States Steel Export Company began construction of the bridge. It looks like the Golden Gate Bridge because Morrison-Knudsen of Portugal Ltd., an American firm based in Boise, Idaho, was U.S. Steel's principal associate. Morrison-Knudsen had previously worked on the San Francisco Bay Bridge. The bridge was designed by Steinman, Boynton, Gronquist and London of New York, and Tudor Engineering Company of San Francisco. The steel was imported from the US. Four workers died, out of a total of 3,000 who worked on the site. Construction took a total of 2,185,000 man-hours of work. The total cost of the bridge came to 2.2 billion Portuguese escudos, or US$32 million (US$225 million in 2011 adjusted for inflation). read more
3 years ago
I have a sweet spot in my heart for San Francisco, so I knew at the first glimpse, I will love this bridge. The bridge was originally named by a dictator- António de Oliveira Salazar, but his regime was overturned by revolution that took place on 25th of April 1974, so the bridge changed name too and it carries in my opinion quite unusual name-25th April bridge or Ponte 25 de Abril (also an important holiday). This bridge is somewhat longer than Golden Gate Bridge in California, although built by the same company and it is the longest suspension bridge in Europe. The bridge cannot be crossed on a foot, and there is a toll if crossing Tagus River to Lisbon (from Almada) or South to North. read more
2 years ago
My wife and I were on a Gate1 tour, going to Lisbon from Evora. As soon as we saw the bridge, it reminded us so much of our San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge! Itis a Golden Gate Bridge look-alike in Lisbon. This bridge has solid foundations, the south tower extends for 80 metres below the water level, which to this day, is still a world record. The bridge spans 2.5 kilometres and is longer than that of the Golden Gate. The bridge in Lisbon opened in 1966, nearly 30 years after construction finished on San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. It was originally called the Salazar Bridge, after Portugal's prime minister and dictator at the time. When a revolution overthrew the government in 1974, the name of the bridge was changed to the new independence date -- Ponte 25 de Abril. Three similarities: International Orange color, Suspension, and . . . Both bridges have been in James Bond films. The Ponte 25 de Abril was in On Her Majesty's Secret Service from 1969. The Golden Gate was a location for A View to a Kill, a 1985 James Bond movie with Roger Moore. You can also see a statue that is a copy of the Brazil's Christ the Redeemer statue of Rio de Janeiro, after the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon visited that monument. The Sanctuary of Christ the King (Portuguese: Santuário de Cristo Rei) is a Catholic monument and shrine dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ overlooking the city of Lisbon situated in Almada. The project was inaugurated on 17 May 1959. The giant statue was erected to express gratitude because the Portuguese were spared the direct destructive effects of World War II. read more
Lisbon has so many things about it that reminds me of San Francisco, this bridge plays a huge part in it. I saw it everyday from my hotel balcony and it was just really nice to feel like you're...in your home state, almost. The name of the bridge may be weird to some but it's the day that they changed the power over and it represents it's independence from the dictator. read more
9 years ago
Since Lisbon and San Francisco are often cited for their many similarities, it is an appropriate coincidence that the 25 de Abril Bridge is based on two SF bridges. The paint on Ponte 25 de Abril is the same "International Orange" as the Golden Gate Bridge, and its design is similar to that of the Bay Bridge. AND, both the Bay Bridge and Ponte 25 de Abril were built by the same company. This bridge was our first piece of Lisbon, as we drove into the city (all the way from Seville) on a cold and rainy night. Unfortunately, we couldn't see much, except lights from the city, blurred by the rain, but it was still exciting to be crossing Ponte 25 de Abril as a grand entrance. There were tolls along the highway getting to the bridge, but none just before or after the bridge itself. No traffic late at night when we arrived. Later, we had beautiful views of the bridge, which can be seen from many points in the city, but my favorite views were from Bario Alto, where we stayed, particularly from Miradouro de Santa Catarina, and the rooftop restaurant, Madame Petisca. This bridge is definitely a very neat part of the city, and a stylish, exciting way to enter by car! read more
9 years ago
This bridge is a great tourist attraction for Lisbon. It looks so much like the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge.The views from the Belem Tower on the waterfront are really good on a clear day. read more
11 years ago
15 years ago
Beautiful to sail under although a bit noisy with road and rail traffic (the railway is supported under the bridge. The 25th of April suspension bridge in is one of the world's longest suspension bridges at 1.5 miles (2.2 kilometers) long. Built in 1966, its reddish-orange color makes it look like San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. The brdge was originally named for Portugal's right-wing dictator, Antonio de Oliveira Salazar, who ruled from 1932 to 1968. After Portugal's 1974 revolution, residents who supported the revolution started calling the bridge the 25th of April bridge to celebrate the change in power on April 25, 1974. read more
11 years ago
