Constantine, Algeria

Sidi M'Cid Bridge

This dizzying span over the ancient Algerian city was once the highest suspension bridge in the world.

The Sidi M’Cid suspension bridge is the highest and most stunning of all the bridges in the Algerian city of Constantine, often called the “City of Bridges” thanks to its unique and picturesque geography.

The 2,000-year-old city is located about 50 miles inland from Algeria’s Mediterranian coast, set on a high plateau split in half by a deep and dramatic gorge. A series of historic bridges span across the Rhummel River gorge that runs through Constantine, but the Sidi M’Cid Bridge is the most iconic—the highest link between the rocks that divide the city in two.

Built in 1912, the Sidi M’Cid Bridge stands 575 feet (175 meters) high. At the time it was built, it was the highest suspension bridge in the world (surpassed by the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado in 1929). It dominates the gorge, offering an exceptional view over part of the city and valley beyond.

This dizzying road bridge connects the Medina of Constantine to the university hospital center. The architectural design, a hybrid cable-stayed suspension bridge, gives it a similar look to another iconic monument across the Atlantic: the Brooklyn Bridge— although the Sidi M’Cid Bridge is more than twice as high.