One of the best views of the Minneapolis skyline that’s impossible not to fall in love with is from the historic Stone Arch Bridge.
While Googling places to visit in Minneapolis, I saw the bridge and its captivating view of the city’s skyscrapers, and quickly added it to my itinerary during my trip to the Midwestern city. It was also suggested by Meet Minneapolis, so I decided it was a site not to pass up.
Stone Arch Bridge is the only bridge of its kind over the Mississippi river, built with 100,000 tons of stone, including granite and limestone. It is 2,100 feet long and 28 feet wide, has 23 arches, and is also one of the best places to view St. Anthony Falls.
Saint Anthony Falls
Another fun fact about it is that it was designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1974.
Some history about the bridge: It was completed in 1883 after 22 months of construction. It was built by James J. Hill – a railroad baron – and the Minneapolis Union Railway Company, and facilitated increased movement of people and goods across the river. It served this purpose until 1965. Today it is mostly used by walkers and cyclists.
Selfie at the bridge because it was hard to take a proper pic w/the skyline in the background because there were a lot of cyclists passing by!
It’s really quite enjoyable to walk, jog and bike along Stone Arch Bridge, especially when the weather is nice out. I didn’t walk all the way across because I was relying heavily on my feet to get around and they were a bit tired at the time. However, I did spend a lot of time just appreciating the beautiful skyline and taking in the view of St. Anthony Falls.
Another cool thing to look at from the bridge is Mill Ruins Park, which you can see below the bridge. It’s also worth visiting that park if you’re at the bridge and haven’t already, as it’s within walking distance.
Although there are amazing views from the bridge, you can also see views of it from Mill Ruins Park (you’ll feel really small from down there!) and a more panoramic perspective from the observation deck at Mill City Museum.
Stone Arch Bridge is absolutely worth stopping by while in Minneapolis: by visiting, you get history, architecture, scenic views and exercise all at once.