It still remains a mystery why bridges become the landmarks of cities. It is impossible to imagine San Francisco without the Golden Gate Bridge or London without Tower Bridge. The same structure has become an emblem of the small city of Choluteca in Honduras. The Carías Suspension Bridge is the main attraction of these places.

The Carías Bridge was built in 1937 by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Such a large structure in such a small poor city appeared as a result of the construction of the road named Panamericana. It connected several capitals of Central and North America. The bridge is 300 meters long; however, it is not the largest one in the country and even the city.

It was not the highway or even the length that made it famous. Built during the reign of Tiburcio Carias Andino, with the assistance from the US Government, it has become one of the greatest works of architecture in the country. The Choluteca Bridge is a replica of the famous Golden Gate Bridge. There are less than ten of them in the whole world.

The gray metal structure doesn’t feel that heavy and bulky; it seems to soar through the air. This effect is achieved due to precise calculation of the weight of every part of the structure. These are thin steel bars or ropes that connect together several arches. There are gaps between the elements of the structure and even inside the parts, so they let light and air pass through.

Despite the heavy traffic flow, the bridge is also appropriate for pedestrians walking. There are sidewalks and viewing platforms on its both sides. It offers beautiful views of the local rainforest and the river that runs through the city. However, only one part of the bridge rises above the water. The other is above the ground, shrouded by emerald tree crowns.

In the late '90s, the Carías Bridge got competition because the Bridge of Rising Sun was built in the city. It is much larger: its length is 484 meters. Moreover, it became the largest structure built by a Japanese company in Latin America. But even that did not make the bridge as famous and popular among locals and tourists as the Carías Bridge.