The Rio-Antirrio Bridge, also known as the Charilaos Trikoupis Bridge

A cable-stayed suspension bridge that spans the Gulf of Corinth, connecting the town of Rio on the Peloponnese Peninsula to Antirrio on the mainland of Greece.

The bridge also divides the Gulf of Patras and Gulf of Corinth.

Began use in 2004: the longest fully suspended bridge in the world, along with being classified as the world's longest multi-span cable-stayed bridge. The Corinth Canal is approximately 132 KM away (82 miles) to the East.

The Rio-Antirrio Bridge

The official name of the bridge is the "Charilaos Trikoupis Bridge" in honor of Charilaos Trikoupis, a prominent Greek statesman of the 19th century who played a crucial role in the development of modern Greece.

Key facts about the Rio-Antirrio Bridge

• Construction of the Rio-Antirrio Bridge began in 1998 and ended in 2004, just before the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics.
• It was designed by the French structural engineer Michel Virlogeux and the Greek architect Berdj Mikaelian.
• The bridge is a cable-stayed bridge, which means it has one or more towers from which cables support the bridge deck.
• It has a total length of approximately 2,880 meters (9,449 feet) and a main span of 560 meters (1,837 feet). It one of the world's longest cable-stayed bridges.
• The bridge has four lanes for automotive traffic, with additional lanes for cyclists and pedestrians.
• The Bridge is called an engineering marvel because of the challenging construction over deep waters in a seismically active region.
• The bridge design features deep underwater piers as a foundation meant to handle earthquakes and the strong currents of the Gulf of Corinth.
• Toll System: To help cover the construction and maintenance costs, a toll system is in place.
• The Rio-Antirrio Bridge improved transportation in Greece and especially passage over the Gulf. Before the construction of the bridge, travel between the Peloponnese Peninsula and the mainland was reliant on ferries, which were weather-dependent.
• The bridge has caused economic development for the region.
• The design of the bridge features functionality combined with aesthetics, the towers resembling the sails of a ship to reflect Greece's intense maritime history.
• The Rio-Antirrio Bridge itself is a popular tourist attraction in Greece, both for its engineering fame and for the unique view it provides of the Gulf.

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