The oldest of the three bridges, The Forth Bridge was officially opened on 4 March 1890. It is undoubtedly one of Scotland’s most well-known sights – an iconic marvel, known the world over. In July of 2015, the bridge was actually inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the sixth such site in Scotland. Today it now shares the same status as India’s Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of China.
When it was constructed, the Forth Bridge had the longest single cantilever bridge span in the world and even today, over 125 years later, it is only surpassed by Canada’s Quebec Bridge. Painted a deep rust red that helps it stand out from the crowd, the Forth Bridge has featured in Hollywood movies including Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps.
The term ‘Painting the Forth Bridge’ was a famous expression in Scotland for a never-ending task, as it was believed that the bridge took so long to paint that when you got to the end, you had to start again. However, this amusing expression is incorrect, and in 2011 the bridge received a fresh coat of paint that is expected to last up to 25 years.
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