Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Canada Alberta Calgary Peace Bridge

Peace Bridge

With its webbed walls and bright red coloring, Calgary's iconic bridge looks like a finger trap puzzle stretched across the river.

Calgary, Alberta

Added By
Leanne Louie
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Peace Bridge   Bernard Spragg/Public Domain
Peace Bridge   Max Pixel/public domain
Peace Bridge   Jan Mosimann/cc by-nd 2.0
Peace Bridge   Ryan Quan/cc by-sa 3.0
  Islamorada / Atlas Obscura User
  stefanoairoldi1976 / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Between its unique design and its eye-catching hue, Calgary’s Peace Bridge has become a cultural icon within the downtown core. Its bright red color stands out against both the river beneath and the buildings behind it, while paying homage to the red of Canada’s flag. 

Unlike most bridges in the world, the impressive length of the pedestrian bridge stretches unsupported across the Bow River. No beams or cables were included in the architect’s plans, as the steel structure was designed to support its own weight. Given its tube-like shape and the crisscrossing pattern of its walls, the unique bridge has often drawn comparisons to a finger trap puzzle pulled across the river.

The Peace Bridge was proposed to accommodate increasing traffic on Calgary’s pathways. Designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, the bridge better connects the downtown core with communities across the river. Although construction of the bridge met with some delays, it was finally completed in 2012, and nowadays, thousands of pedestrians and cyclists cross the bridge on a daily basis.

Although its $25 million price tag was controversial amongst Calgarians, the bridge has become a central aspect of Calgary’s skyline, appearing in travel books and posters around the world. Whether you’re an architecture buff or you just need a quick way across the Bow River, Calgary’s Peace Bridge is well worth a visit. 

Related Tags

Bridges Architecture Engineering Color Infrastructure

Know Before You Go

The bridge spans between Bow River Pathway on the north side of the river, off Memorial Dr NW, and Eau Claire Park on the south side.

Community Contributors

Added By

Leanne Louie

Edited By

Islamorada, Meg, stefanoairoldi1976, KruegerPartyOf4

  • Islamorada
  • Meg
  • stefanoairoldi1976
  • KruegerPartyOf4

Published

November 29, 2018

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/timeline-peace-bridge-spans-five-years-of-sometimes-troubled-waters
  • https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/peace-bridge-placed-over-bow-river-1.1091927
Peace Bridge
Bow River Pathway
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
51.053943, -114.078952
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Udderly Art Pasture

Calgary, Alberta

miles away

The New Central Library

Calgary, Alberta

miles away

National Music Centre

Calgary, Alberta

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Calgary

Calgary

Alberta

Places 11
Stories 3

Nearby Places

Udderly Art Pasture

Calgary, Alberta

miles away

The New Central Library

Calgary, Alberta

miles away

National Music Centre

Calgary, Alberta

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Calgary

Calgary

Alberta

Places 11
Stories 3

Related Stories and Lists

Our Favorite Wonders and Blunders of Urban Planning

List

By Jonathan Carey

Related Places

  • Southern side of the Seventh Street Improvement Arches.

    Saint Paul, Minnesota

    Seventh Street Improvement Arches

    This double-arched masonry highway bridge is the only structure of its kind in Minnesota.

  • Vauxhall bridge “Architechture”

    London, England

    Vauxhall Bridge's Miniature St. Paul's Cathedral

    A tiny replica of the iconic London landmark hides on the side of the steel structure.

  • Khaju Bridge.

    Isfahan, Iran

    Khaju Bridge

    This 17th-century structure is a beautiful testimony to traditional Persian architecture

  • Puente de Occidente (Bridge of the West).

    Olaya, Colombia

    Puente de Occidente (Bridge of the West)

    What was once the longest suspension bridge in Latin America was directly inspired by the iconic Brooklyn Bridge.

  • Telgárt, Slovakia

    Chmarošský Viaduct

    A gorgeous stone viaduct crosses over a bucolic valley.

  • Kawazu-Nanadaru Loop Bridge.

    Kawazu, Japan

    Kawazu Nanadaru Loop Bridge

    An ingenious solution to a tricky engineering problem, this spiraling bridge takes drivers for a dizzying spin.

  • Connecting Maldonado and Rocha by way of a circle

    Maldonado, Uruguay

    Puente Laguna Garzón

    Because sometimes the most efficient route from A to B isn't a straight line.

  • Jacksonville Interchange Spiral from above.

    Jacksonville, Florida

    Jacksonville Interchange Spiral

    Must form and function forever remain at odds? Not if the Florida Department of Transportation has its way.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.