Brooklyn Bridge — Tickets, Hours & What to Know

Worth itA free, gorgeous walk with the best skyline view — go at sunrise to beat the crush.

The Brooklyn Bridge is a historic hybrid cable-stayed and suspension structure spanning the East River in New York City, linking the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Opened on May 24, 1883, it served as the very first fixed crossing over the river and stood as the longest suspension bridge in the world at the time of its completion. Recognized today as a landmark on national, municipal, and civil engineering registers, it remains the southernmost of five vehicular bridges connecting Manhattan Island with Long Island.

Conceived by designer John A. Roebling, the crossing was carried through to completion under the technical direction of his son, Washington Roebling, and daughter-in-law, Emily Warren Roebling. Construction commenced in 1870 under the New York Bridge Company and spanned more than thirteen years before opening. Over the decades, the bridge underwent several reconfigurations, having previously carried horse-drawn vehicles and elevated railway lines. Modern access across the span is restricted entirely to passenger automobiles, bicycles, and foot traffic.

Architecturally, the bridge is defined by its two 278-foot Neo-Gothic towers constructed from granite, limestone, and Rosendale cement, each characterized by iconic pointed archways over the roadways. The central span extends 1,595.5 feet between these towers, positioned 127 feet above mean high water. Four primary steel cables—each containing thousands of bundled, galvanized steel wires—support the structure alongside vertical suspenders and diagonal cable stays. Heavy trapezoidal limestone anchorages secure these main cables inland on both sides, resting on bedrock in Manhattan and on clay in Brooklyn.

A central feature for visitors is the elevated pedestrian promenade, situated 18 feet above the vehicular lanes. Running between the roadways, this path features custom iron railings and broad views across the river, rising slightly to overhanging balcony platforms as it passes through each stone tower. On the approach ramps, Renaissance-style masonry arches support the roadway, while historical storage vaults and newly developed public park spaces sit beneath the Manhattan approach.