Sidi M'Cid Bridge

Constantine sits on a rock split from the country around it by the gorge of the Rhumel, and the city is stitched together by bridges. Sidi M'Cid, opened in 1912, is the highest of them: a suspension bridge of around 160 metres span carried on steel cables with its deck roughly 175 metres above the river, which made it one of the highest bridges in the world when it was built. It is used by pedestrians and light traffic and it sways perceptibly. From the middle the gorge drops sheer on both sides, with the Casbah above, the hospital on one bank and the old town on the other, and it is the single best place to understand how the city is put together.

What you actually see

• A deck 175 metres above the river - the highest of the Constantine bridges.
• The gorge dropping on both sides - sheer walls under the span.
• Steel suspension cables of 1912 - the original engineering.
• The city seen as one structure - rock, gorge and bridges together.

When to go

October to May. One hour. Morning light falls into the gorge. It is used by traffic as well as pedestrians, so keep to the walkway.

Honest expectations

The bridge moves under load and anyone uneasy with heights will find it hard going. Traffic shares the deck and the walkway is narrow. Litter in the gorge below is heavy. Photography of some adjacent buildings is discouraged.

Nearby

The Sidi Rached viaduct is downstream; the Casbah lies above.