Unique and Bizarre Arches From Around the World

Unique and Bizarre Arches From Around the World

By: nobert bermosa

Arches have been around as early as 2000 years BCE in Mesopotamian brick architecture. The Ancient Romans were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures. Here are the twelve most unusual arches in the world.

Antlers Arch: USA

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The first bizarre arch on our list is an arch made of antlers, usually large and complex horn-like appendages from deer

species. Hundreds of elk antlers were collected to form this unusual arch. This arch is located in Jackson Hole, Wyoming

in USA.

Leonardo's Arch Bridge: Norway

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This unique arch was designed by Leonardo da Vinci in 1502 and constructed by Vebjorn Sand in 2001. It is a pedes-

trian and bike arch bridge located in Akershus, Norway. Leonardo da Vinci's plan for the bridge was to be named the

"Golden Horn Bridge" to span the waterway dividing western Constantinople for Sultan Bajazet II. The bridge is 360

feet long and 19 feet above the ground only although the original was intended to be much bigger: 1,080 feet long and

120 feet above sea level.

Bicycle Arch: USA

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This is a weird arch, the Bike Arch at Burning Man Festival. It was made by Mark Grieve and Ilana Spector in Petaluma,

California, USA. The bikes were collected from the dump and not from the event with approximately 230-something bikes.

Toronto's Bike Arch: Canada

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Here's another distinctive arch made of bikes, this one located in Toronto, Canada.

Maglev Arch: South Korea

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The unique arch design of this bridge enables the maglev track to suspend over eight lanes of traffic. It is located in

Daejon City, South Korea. The single arch crosses over the track supporting it with cables. Thousands of people drive

under the maglev everyday.

Artificial Arch

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This one is an inflated arch (artificial arch). A built-in internal fan inflated this structure and it also maintains the correct

pressure during use.  This one is ideal for promotions and events and can be lit from the inside to make them stand out

at indoor or night time events.

Large Arch: USA

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This peculiar sculpted arch is located on the library plaza in Columbus, Indiana, USA. This so-called Large Arch was

created by Henry Moore, one of the greatest artists of the 20th Century. This unique piece of sculpture is cast in bronze

in 50 sections; it was welded by invisible seams. Large Arch varies from .25 to .50 inch in thickness. The sculpture

stands 20.5 feet high, measures 12 feet wide, and it weighs 5.5 tons.

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This intricately and elaborately designed arch is more or less of Asian characteristics.

Gateway Arch: USA

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One of the most prominent structural designs and monumental landmarks in the United States is the Gateway Arch.

It is also known as the Gateway to the West and is an integral part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and

the iconic image of St. Louis, Missouri. It stands 630 feet (192 m) tall, and is 630 feet (192 m) wide at its base, making

it the tallest monument in the United States. Construction of the arch started in 1963 and was completed in 1965. The

monument opened to the public two years after it was completed.

Dubai Arch Tower : UAE

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Dubai Arch Tower is a unique architectural concept, dominated by an arch shape located in Jumeirah Lake Towers in

Dubai, UAE. The Dubai Arch Tower is a 41-floor tower. The tower has a total structural height of 153 m (500 ft).

Construction of the Dubai Arch Tower is expected to be completed within this year. The tower is located in an emerging

metropolis of high rise towers and luxury residential buildings.

Dubai Arch Bridge : UAE

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Dubai is one of the fastest growing cities in the world if not the fastest. Dubai will begin constructing the world's largest

arch bridge, with 2,000 vehicles set to cross its 12 lanes-per lane, in each lane-when it's supposed to be completed in

2012. The as-yet-unnamed bridge will stand 670-feet tall and stand higher the George Washington Bridge (604 feet),

but still fall short of San Francisco's existing Golden Gate Bridge (745 feet).

Dagu Arch Bridge: China

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This unique architectural design is located in Tianjin, China and is called Dagu Bridge. It is made up of a large and

small arch which represents the sun and the moon. The two arches are fixed at both sides of the bridge by 88

suspenders and opposite to the semicircular viewing platform. It is briefed that the design is named "unparalleled

combined tie beam arch" and unique in the world.

Hope you enjoyed this. Thank You!