The futuristic flying saucer shaped restaurant and observation deck is the bridge’s most notable feature and why it is unofficially referred to as the UFO Bridge.

The Most Slovenskeho Narodneho Povstania or Most SNP for short was built between 1967 and 1972 and stretches over the Danube River connecting the two halves of modern day Bratislava. The official name translates to the “Bridge of the Slovak National Uprising” to commemorate the Slovak National Uprising against Nazi during World War II but most locals simply call it the New Bridge or the UFO Bridge.

The bridge has four traffic lanes on its upper level for motor vehicles and two pedestrian walkways under the bridge. A pedestrian walkway is on each side of the bridge but there is no crossover. An elevator takes visitors to the observation deck at the bridge’s highest point for a panorama view of the city.

Suspension sections

The UFO Bridge is 1,413 feet long (430 meters) and is a cable-stayed bridge. It is the world’s longest bridge that has only one pylon with one cable-stayed plane. The suspension cables are in the center of the bridge in a single plane while most suspension bridges that I have seen have the cables on the outside of the bridge in two planes.

Bratislava UFO Tower

The Bratislava UFO Tower is the flying saucer that sits on top of the Most SNP Bridge. The spaceship looking observation deck, restaurant and bar is located 95 meters (295 feet) above sea level and provides a panoramic view over Bratislava and up to 100 kilometers away. Access to it is a quick 45-second elevator ride to the top.

The sightseeing deck was inaccessible in the times of communism because it gave great views of capitalist Austria. Today, the Bratislava UFO Tower is part of the World Federation of Great Towers and is a popular tourist attraction in Bratislava.

Modern design with function

The UFO Bridge is simple looking with minimal suspension cables but the addition of the Bratislava UFO Tower turns the functionality of a suspension bridge into a modern design that not only provides visitors with an elevated view of the city but has also became one of the city’s top attractions.

The Dust on My Shoes

The UFO Bridge was not intended to resemble a spaceship but the tower does look like a flying saucer and it is completely understandable why many people refer to it as the UFO Bridge. I think calling it the UFO Bridge make it much more appealing for tourism because most tourist are more excited to say that they went to the UFO Bridge than saying they went to a memorial bridge in Bratislava.

I have walked across many long bridges all over the world and this is the only one where I have been able to do it under the shade of the traffic above me. All of the other bridges have the pedestrian lanes on the outside of the bridge in direct sunlight with noisy traffic whizzing past the pedestrians.

The only downside to walking under the traffic is that the view is limited to one direction but both sides have nice views of the Danube River with one side having a nice view of Bratislava Castle and the other side having a nice view of Old Town Bratislava.

I enjoy checking out bridges of the places that I visit. Many bridges have attention grabbing architecture and some bridge have interesting stories to learn about.

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