Wadi al-Kuf Bridge

About this place

Wadi al-Kuf Bridge is a concrete cable-stayed bridge over the Kuf valley, about 20 km west of the city of Bayda in the Jebel Akhdar of eastern Libya. It stands about 160 metres above the valley floor, making it one of the highest bridges in Africa. It was designed by the Italian engineer Riccardo Morandi, built from 1965 and opened in 1972. Its central span is 282 metres, and for seven years it was the longest concrete cable-stayed span in the world. It is about 477 metres long in all. In 2017 it was briefly closed after inspections found cracks, then reopened to light traffic with heavy trucks kept from crossing in groups. The bridge's white A-shaped towers stand over a deep valley covered in juniper and pine, with red rock walls on both sides. On winter mornings fog sometimes fills the valley, so the towers seem to rise out of the clouds. The old road runs beneath it through the valley. Central Bayda is about 19 km away in a straight line, and Cyrene about 30 km. Do not stop on the bridge itself; view it from the old road or safe roadside spots. Sources say foreigners need a tour operator or local sponsor to visit Libya. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all but essential travel to this area, so check official guidance before planning.