Timeline of three longest spans


This is the timeline of the three longest man-made spans in the world, all categories, that at least have the strength to carry some persons. It can be the span of any type of bridge, aerial tramway, power line, structural ceiling or dome etc.

Overview

In this timeline, only spans that were still standing in a particular year are considered for that year. This is perhaps more fair than a timeline of the records of all time, because the old figures might be incorrect. At the points when the old spans fall, new spans with more certain figures are allowed to appear in the timeline. This is a top-three list of existing longest spans per day.
When several structures of the same length exist, the oldest is counted as the longest.
Some more rules for this timeline follow as: Only the length of the horizontal projection of the span, that is, the distance that can be measured on a map, counts. When the two supports have different heights above the sea level, the distance between them is longer than the horizontal projection of the distance, but this longer distance isn't counted. This is because it is more difficult to build a horizontal span than a 100 m span that is tilted perhaps 45 degrees, as if it was the support for an escalator. The stress in the material is higher for the horizontal span, creating higher engineering difficulty, so only the length of the span perpendicular to the force of gravity is counted. For many structures in the timeline, it is not known if the stated length is the desired horizontal projected length, or the direct "laser beam" length.
Spanning structures in water are included only if they would still be standing if the water were removed.
The longest Ameralik Span and others have pylons that are not completely man-made. The lines are attached to small man-made pylons that in turn stand on the mountain, which forms the rest of the height of the pylons required for a span of that length. If the present man-made pylons were placed in a flat area, there would be no span, because the lines would touch the ground. It could be argued that this span should not appear in the timeline because the pylons are not completely man-made. However, as the focus of the engineering design task here is not to make something that is tall, but to make something that is long, it is concluded that this type of span is enough man-made to be in this timeline.
The spans of ancient structures are short. It would have been easy for somebody to tie a long rope between two poles and in this way create a very long ancient span. However, the ancient people had no reason to do this, and if they did, it is not documented and therefore not in this timeline. Only with the discovery of electricity and radio communication did people have a reason for tying a wire between two poles, thus creating the simplest form of long spans.
The span of the Pantheon, Rome, is not 43.3 m because there is a hole at the top of 9.1 m, so the span has been reduced with the size of the hole to 34.2 m. The span of any structure is measured in the following way: Place the largest possible imaginary horizontal circular disk under or inside the structure, barely touching any load-bearing pillars or walls, or parts used to stabilize the structure like wires. The disk must also not encircle any objects of this kind. At least one diameter of the disk have to be completely covered, that is rain-sheltered, by the structure. The span of the structure is diameter of the disk. Now, if the structure contains a hole at the center of the disk, as in the case of the Pantheon, the span is measured by using a second-largest possible imaginary horizontal circular disk that is smaller than the first disk and completely encircled by it. At least one diameter of the second disk has to be completely covered by the structure. The span of the structure is diameter of the second disk. Applying this method of measurement to Pantheon gives the previously stated result, 34.2 m. The method works for many types of structures.
Note: almost all information in this timeline has uncertainty.

Longest spans 1813–present


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  2. ImageSize = width:830 height:2000
  3. ImageSize = width:1070 height:2000
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id:Gold1 value:rgb # light yellow
id:Gold2 value:powderblue2
id:Silver1 Value:gray
id:Silver2 Value:limegreen
id:Bronze1 value:claret
id:Bronze2 Value:magenta
id:Messina-Paint Value:yellowgreen
id:GoldenGate-Paint Value:orange
id:Washington-Paint Value:yellow
id:Sognefjord1-Paint Value:lavender
id:Quebec-Paint Value:tan2
id:Forth-Paint Value:teal
id:Brooklyn-Paint Value:pink
id:NiagaraC-Paint Value:yelloworange
id:Roebling-Paint Value:skyblue
id:LewiQueen-Paint Value:oceanblue
id:Wheeling-Paint Value:lavender
id:Zaehringen-Paint Value:green
id:Menai-Paint Value:lightpurple
id:Union-Paint Value:yellowgreen
id:Luding-Paint Value:red
id:Blanche-Paint Value:gray
id:Omega-Paint Value:coral
id:Carquinez-Paint Value:drabgreen
id:Rhine-Paint Value:rgb
id:Ambassador-Paint Value:brightgreen
id:NiagaraF-Paint Value:lightorange
id:IronBridge-Paint Value:yellow
id:Tashigang-Paint Value:orange
id:Hunger-Paint Value:brightgreen
id:Saint-Paint Value:tan2
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from:1993 till:2009 color:Gold1 text:"5376 m Ameralik powerline, Greenland"
from:1975 till:1993 color:Sognefjord1-Paint text:"4850 m Sognefjord 1 powerline, Norway"
from:1957 till:1975 color:Messina-Paint text:"3646 m Messina powerline, Italy"
from:1937 till:1957 color:GoldenGate-Paint text:"1280 m Golden Gate Bridge"
from:1934 till:1937 color:Washington-Paint text:"1067 m George Washington Bridge, New York, USA"
from:1920 till:1934 color:Gold2 text:"2580 m Herzogstand Radio Antenna, Germany"
from:1901 till:1920 color:Carquinez-Paint text:"1350 m Carquinez Strait powerline, California, USA"
from:1890 till:1901 color:Forth-Paint text:"521 m Forth Cantilever Bridge, Scotland, UK"
from:1883 till:1890 color:Brooklyn-Paint text:"486 m Brooklyn Bridge, New York, USA"
from:1869 till:1883 color:NiagaraC-Paint text:"387 m Niagara Clifton Bridge, USA–Canada"
from:1866 till:1869 color:Roebling-Paint text:"322 m Roebling Suspension Bridge, USA"
from:1864 till:1866 color:LewiQueen-Paint text:"317 m Lewiston-Queenston Ruin, USA–Canada"
from:1851 till:1864 color:LewiQueen-Paint text:"317 m Lewiston-Queenston Bridge, USA–Canada"
from:1849 till:1851 color:Wheeling-Paint text:"308 m Wheeling Suspension Bridge, West Virginia, USA"
from:1834 till:1849 color:Zaehringen-Paint text:"271 m Zaehringen Bridge, Switzerland"
from:1826 till:1834 color:Menai-Paint text:"176 m Menai Suspension Bridge, Wales, UK"
from:1813 till:1826 color:IronBridge-Paint text:"137 m Iron Bridge, Tibet"
width:225
bar:Silver align:center shift: mark:
from:1993 till:2009 color:Sognefjord1-Paint text:"4850m Sognefjord 1 powerline, Norway"
from:1975 till:1993 color:Messina-Paint text:"3646m Messina powerline, Italy"
from:1971 till:1975 color:Omega-Paint text:"3500m Omega antenna, Norway"
from:1962 till:1971 color:Blanche-Paint text:"2831m Blanche Tramway, France"
from:1958 till:1962 color:Silver2 text:"3248m Kootenay powerline, Canada"
from:1957 till:1958 color:Silver1 text:"1782m Bosporus powerline, Turkey"
from:1937 till:1957 color:Washington-Paint text:"1067m George Washington Bridge, New York, USA"
from:1934 till:1937 color:Rhine-Paint text:"570m Rhine River powerline, Germany"
from:1931 till:1934 color:Washington-Paint text:"1067m George Washington Bridge, New York, USA"
from:1930 till:1931 color:Rhine-Paint text:"570m Rhine River powerline, Germany"
from:1920 till:1930 color:Carquinez-Paint text:"1350m Carquinez Strait powerline, California, USA"
from:1917 till:1920 color:Quebec-Paint text:"549m Quebec Cantilever Bridge, Canada"
from:1901 till:1917 color:Forth-Paint text:"521m Forth Cantilever Bridge, Scotland, UK"
from:1890 till:1901 color:Forth-Paint text:"521m Forth Cantilever Bridge, second span"
from:1889 till:1890 color:NiagaraC-Paint shift: text:"387m Second Falls View Bridge, USA–Canada"
at:1889 color:Roebling-Paint text:"322m Roebling Suspension Bridge, USA"
from:1883 till:1889 color:NiagaraC-Paint text:"387m Niagara Clifton Bridge, USA–Canada"
from:1869 till:1883 color:Roebling-Paint text:"322m Roebling Suspension Bridge, USA"
from:1866 till:1869 color:LewiQueen-Paint text:"317m Lewiston-Queenston Ruin, USA–Canada"
from:1851 till:1866 color:Wheeling-Paint text:"308m Wheeling Suspension Bridge, West Virginia, USA"
from:1849 till:1851 color:Zaehringen-Paint text:"271m Zaehringen Bridge, Switzerland"
from:1848 till:1849 color:NiagaraF-Paint shift: text:"234m Niagara Falls Bridge, USA–Canada"
from:1845 till:1848 color:Hunger-Paint text:"206m Hungerford Bridge, London, UK"
from:1836 till:1845 color:Saint-Paint text:"200m Port-Sainte-Marie Bridge, France"
from:1835 till:1836 color:Menai-Paint shift: text:"176m Menai Suspension Bridge, UK"
from:1834 till:1835 color:Saint-Paint shift: text:"200m Port-Sainte-Marie Bridge, France"
from:1826 till:1834 color:IronBridge-Paint text:"137m Iron Bridge, Tibet"
from:1820 till:1826 color:Union-Paint text:"137m Union Bridge, England-Scotland, UK"
at:1816 color:Silver1 text:"120m Philadelphia Footbridge, Pennsylvania, USA"
from:1813 till:1820 color:Luding-Paint shift: text:"104m Luding Bridge, China"
width:139
bar:Bronze mark: align:center shift:
at:2009 color:Bronze1 shift: text:"4520m Sognefjord 2 powerline, Norway"
from:2008 till:2009 color:Bronze2 text:"3019m Peak 2 Peak Gondola, Canada"
  1. Here the HORIZONTAL distance of 3019m should be indicated, not the straight line of 3024m
from:2002 till:2008 color:Blanche-Paint text:"2831m Blanche Tramway, France"
from:1994 till:2002 color:Omega-Paint text:"3500m Omega antenna, Norway"
from:1993 till:1994 color:Messina-Paint text:"3646m Messina powerline, Italy"
from:1975 till:1993 color:Omega-Paint text:"3500m Omega antenna, Norway"
from:1971 till:1975 color:Blanche-Paint text:"2831m Blanche Tramway, France"
from:1962 till:1971 color:Bronze1 text:"2357m Chusi powerline,Japan"
from:1958 till:1962 color:Blanche-Paint text:"2831m Blanche Tramway, France"
from:1957 till:1958 color:GoldenGate-Paint text:"1280m Golden Gate Bridge, USA"
from:1937 till:1957 color:Rhine-Paint text:"570m Rhine River powerline, Germany"
from:1934 till:1937 color:Ambassador-Paint text:"564 m Ambassador Bridge, USA–Canada"
from:1931 till:1934 color:Rhine-Paint text:"570 m Rhine River powerline, Germany"
from:1930 till:1931 color:Ambassador-Paint text:"564 m Ambassador Bridge, USA–Canada"
from:1926 till:1930 color:Rhine-Paint text:"570 m Rhine River powerline, Germany"
from:1920 till:1926 color:Quebec-Paint text:"549m Quebec Cantilever Bridge, Canada"
from:1917 till:1920 color:Forth-Paint text:"521m Forth Cantilever Bridge, Scotland, UK"
from:1901 till:1917 color:Forth-Paint text:"521m Forth Cantilever Bridge, second span"
from:1890 till:1901 color:Brooklyn-Paint text:"486m Brooklyn Bridge, New York, USA"
at:1889 color:LewiQueen-Paint text:"317m Lewiston-Queenston Ruin, USA–Canada"
from:1883 till:1890 color:Roebling-Paint text:"322m Roebling Suspension Bridge, USA"
from:1869 till:1883 color:LewiQueen-Paint text:"317 m Lewiston-Queenston Ruin, USA–Canada"
from:1866 till:1869 color:Wheeling-Paint text:"308 m Wheeling Suspension Bridge, West Virginia, USA"
from:1851 till:1866 color:Zaehringen-Paint text:"271 m Zaehringen Bridge, Switzerland"
from:1849 till:1851 color:NiagaraF-Paint text:"234 m Niagara Falls Bridge, USA–Canada"
from:1848 till:1849 color:Hunger-Paint shift: text:"206m Hungerford Bridge, London, UK"
from:1845 till:1848 color:Saint-Paint text:"200 m Port-Sainte-Marie Bridge, France"
from:1839 till:1845 color:Bronze1 text:"198 m La Roche-Bernard Bridge, France"
  1. from:1839 till:1845 color:Bronze1 text:"190 m Pont Charles-Albert, France"
from:1836 till:1839 color:Menai-Paint text:"176 m Menai Suspension Bridge, Wales, UK"
from:1835 till:1836 color:IronBridge-Paint shift: text:"137 m Iron Bridge, Tibet"
from:1834 till:1835 color:Menai-Paint shift: text:"176 m Menai Suspension Bridge, Wales, UK"
from:1826 till:1834 color:Union-Paint text:"137 m Union Bridge, England-Scotland, UK"
from:1820 till:1826 color:Luding-Paint text:"104 m Luding Bridge, China"
at:1816 color:Luding-Paint text:"104 m Luding Bridge, China"
from:1813 till:1820 color:Bronze2 shift: text:"103 m Colossus Bridge, Pennsylvania, USA"

Longest spans 62 BC–1813


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id:Silver1 Value:gray
id:Silver2 Value:limegreen
id:Bronze1 value:claret
id:Bronze2 Value:magenta
id:Tashigang-Paint Value:orange
id:IronBridge-Paint Value:yellow
id:Castel-Paint Value:tan2
id:PontDiable-Paint Value:teal
id:Zhauzhou-Paint Value:pink
id:Pantheon-Paint Value:yelloworange
id:Trajan-Paint Value:skyblue
id:Fabricius-Paint Value:oceanblue
id:Apurimac-Paint Value:lavender
id:PuenteDiablo-Paint Value:green
id:Severan-Paint Value:lightpurple
id:Luding-Paint Value:red
id:Malabadi-Paint Value:gray
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id:Augusto-Paint Value:drabgreen
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from:1430 till:1813 color:IronBridge-Paint text:"137 m Iron Bridge, Tibet"
from:1416 till:1430 color:Castel-Paint text:"48 m Castelvecchio Bridge, Italy"
from:1377 till:1416 color:Gold2 text:"72 m Trezzo sull'Adda Bridge, Italy"
from:1356 till:1377 color:Castel-Paint text:"48 m Castelvecchio Bridge, Italy"
from:1341 till:1356 color:PontDiable-Paint text:"45 m Pont du Diable, France"
from:1147 till:1341 color:Malabadi-Paint text:"38 m Malabadi Bridge, Turkey"
from:825 till:1147 color:Zhauzhou-Paint text:"37 m Zhaozhou Bridge, China"
from:675 till:825 color:Gold1 text:"63 m Maya Bridge at Yaxchilan, Mexico"
from:605 till:675 color:Zhauzhou-Paint text:"37 m Zhaozhou Bridge, China"
from:270 till:605 color:Pantheon-Paint text:"34 m Pantheon, Rome, Italy"
from:105 till:270 color:Trajan-Paint text:"52 m Trajan's Bridge, Romania–Serbia"
from:-27 till:105 color:Augusto-Paint text:"32 m Ponte di Augusto, Italy"
from:-62 till:-27 color:Fabricius-Paint text:"24 m Pons Fabricius, Italy"
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bar:Silver align:center shift: mark:
from:1706 till:1813 color:Luding-Paint text:"104 m Luding Suspension Bridge, China"
from:1464 till:1706 color:Tashigang-Paint text:"100 m Tashigang Chain Bridge, Bhutan"
from:1430 till:1464 color:Castel-Paint text:"48 m Castelvecchio Bridge, Italy"
from:1416 till:1430 color:PontDiable-Paint text:"45 m Pont du Diable, France"
from:1377 till:1416 color:Castel-Paint text:"48 m Castelvecchio Bridge, Italy"
from:1356 till:1377 color:PontDiable-Paint text:"45 m Pont du Diable, France"
from:1350 till:1356 color:Apurimac-Paint text:"45 m Apurimac bridge, Peru"
from:1341 till:1350 color:Malabadi-Paint shift: text:"38 m Malabadi Bridge, Turkey"
from:1147 till:1341 color:Zhauzhou-Paint text:"37 m Zhaozhou Bridge, China"
from:825 till:1147 color:Pantheon-Paint text:"34 m Pantheon, Rome, Italy"
from:675 till:825 color:Zhauzhou-Paint text:"37 m Zhaozhou Bridge, China"
from:605 till:675 color:Pantheon-Paint text:"34 m Pantheon, Rome, Italy"
from:270 till:605 color:Severan-Paint text:"34 m Severan Bridge, Turkey"
from:105 till:270 color:Trajan-Paint text:"52 m Trajan's Bridge, other span"
from:-25 till:105 color:Silver1 text:"31 m Ponte Saint-Martin, Italy"
from:-27 till:-25 color:Fabricius-Paint shift: text:"24 m Pons Fabricius, Italy"
from:-62 till:-27 color:Fabricius-Paint text:"24 m Pons Fabricius, second span"
width:139
bar:Bronze mark: align:center shift:
from:1706 till:1813 color:Tashigang-Paint text:"100 m Tashigang Chain Bridge, Bhutan"
from:1464 till:1706 color:Bronze1 text:"76 m Phuntsholing Chain Bridge, Tibet"
from:1430 till:1464 color:PontDiable-Paint text:"45 m Pont du Diable, France"
from:1416 till:1430 color:Apurimac-Paint text:"45 m Apurimac bridge, Peru"
from:1377 till:1416 color:PontDiable-Paint text:"45 m Pont du Diable, France"
from:1356 till:1377 color:Apurimac-Paint text:"45 m Apurimac bridge, Peru"
from:1350 till:1356 color:Malabadi-Paint text:"38 m Malabadi Bridge, Turkey"
from:1341 till:1350 color:Zhauzhou-Paint shift: text:"37 m Zhaozhou Bridge, China"
from:1283 till:1341 color:PuenteDiablo-Paint shift: text:"37 m Puente del Diablo, Spain"
from:1150 till:1283 color:Bronze2 text:"35 m Ponte do Porto, Portugal"
from:1147 till:1150 color:Pantheon-Paint text:"34 m Pantheon, Rome, Italy"
from:825 till:1147 color:Severan-Paint text:"34 m Severan Bridge, Turkey"
from:675 till:825 color:Pantheon-Paint text:"34 m Pantheon, Rome, Italy"
from:605 till:675 color:Severan-Paint text:"34 m Severan Bridge, Turkey"
from:270 till:605 color:Augusto-Paint text:"32 m Ponte di Augusto, Italy"
from:105 till:270 color:Trajan-Paint text:"52 m Trajan's Bridge, other span"
from:-25 till:105 color:Fabricius-Paint text:"24 m Pons Fabricius, Italy"
from:-27 till:-25 color:Fabricius-Paint shift: text:"24 m Pons Fabricius, second span"
from:-62 till:-27 color:Bronze1 text:"Ponte di Pietra, Italy"

Known incorrect construction years

In the timeline above, some completion years are given which are known to be incorrect. The following guesses were used to generate the graphic, but should not be taken as definitive.