History of Brooklyn Bridge in 60 Seconds

Lily Niu

Linking the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn across the East River, the Brooklyn Bridge is a magnificent sight to behold. Even older than the Empire State Building, the Brooklyn Bridge was completed in 1883 and its status as one of New York’s most prominent architectural feats remains recognised globally.

As the first roadway to connect the cities of Brooklyn and New York, the Brooklyn Bridge is acknowledged for joining the smaller neighbourhood of Brooklyn to New York as a borough in 1898. Today, the Brooklyn Bridge carries approximately 150,000 pedestrians and vehicles every day.

Featuring a distinctive design which sets it apart from its surroundings, the Brooklyn Bridge’s Gothic towers are a majestic sight to behold. Its claim to fame as the world’s first steel-wire suspension bridge is also significant.

Initially intended by engineer John A. Roebling as a way to ease the commute for workers travelling from Brooklyn to Manhattan each day, there were challenges in getting the project off the ground, literally. Funding for the bridge was hard to come by but Roebling’s dream of building the bridge became a reality thanks to political kingpin William “Boss” Tweed’s funneling of $65,000 in bribes to city aldermen.

Places to get the best view of the Brooklyn Bridge are the Brooklyn Heights Promenade and Pier 1 or Main Street at Brooklyn Bridge Park. In Manhattan, the view can best be enjoyed from Pier 15 by South Street Seaport.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

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