The Natural Bridge, located between the Bushiribana gold mine and Andicuri beach, was one of the most famous and most photographed attractions in Aruba before its sudden collapse on September 2, 2005.
The bridge, which was the largest of its kind in the Caribbean, was 7.6 meters high and 30 meters long. At the time, Minister of Tourism Edison Briesen stated that the cause of the collapse was not immediately known. However, a crack on one side of the bridge had been noted several years earlier.
“It is a very sad day for Aruba and its tourism,” Briesen said at the time. “A picture of the bridge appears on nearly every promotional flyer, and more tourists visit it than any other attraction.”
Many locals and visitors went to see what was left of what was once a national treasure. The bridge was a coral limestone formation, shaped by thousands of years of strong waves and wind. Hundreds of visitors and locals walked across it every year.
The good news is that Aruba has several other natural bridges, though some are difficult to reach, including a smaller one near the collapsed bridge.
