Samuel Beckett Bridge, Dublin, Ireland

© Colm Keating/Tandem Stills + Motio

Crossing the Liffey in style. Samuel Beckett Bridge, Dublin, Ireland

Among Ireland's many landmarks, the surroundings of Dublin's Samuel Beckett Bridge—featured in today's image—stand out. The bridge, which spans over 120 metres across the River Liffey, was named after the Dublin-born writer Samuel Beckett.

A striking addition to Dublin's cityscape, the bridge was designed by the renowned architect Santiago Calatrava—his second masterpiece in the area after the James Joyce Bridge further upstream. Crafted through a collaboration known as the 'Graham Hollandia Joint Venture,' this bridge is an engineering feat. Its main span is supported by 31 cable stays extending from a sleek, forward-leaning arc, resembling a harp gently resting on its side—a nod to Ireland's national symbol. Beyond its elegant design, it showcases impressive functionality: it can rotate a full 90 degrees to allow ships to glide through, because of a sophisticated mechanism hidden within the base of its towering pylon.