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Erasmusbrug in Rotterdam, the Netherlands
A plucky city's huge "harp"
Almost completely razed in World War II, the city centre of Rotterdam re-emerged with a modern look, soon coming to reign as the world's biggest port from 1962 until 2004. The sleek structure seen here looks like a giant stringed instrument, but rather than carry a tune, the Erasmusbrug carries traffic across Rotterdam's main river – the Nieuwe Maas. Just under a kilometre long with a 135-metre tower, its eastern end features the largest drawbridge of its kind in the world, which lets even the widest container ships pass deeper into the port.
A plucky city's huge "harp"
Almost completely razed in World War II, the city centre of Rotterdam re-emerged with a modern look, soon coming to reign as the world's biggest port from 1962 until 2004. The sleek structure seen here looks like a giant stringed instrument, but rather than carry a tune, the Erasmusbrug carries traffic across Rotterdam's main river – the Nieuwe Maas. Just under a kilometre long with a 135-metre tower, its eastern end features the largest drawbridge of its kind in the world, which lets even the widest container ships pass deeper into the port.
For many years, the second largest city in the Netherlands was the world's busiest port.
© Andrea Armellin / SOPA / eStock Photo 2026-09-11 08:45:51 :