The John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge, which spans across the Cumberland River in downtown Nashville, opened on July 5, 1909 and was called the Shelby Street Bridge. In 1998, the bridge was closed to vehicles due to its poor condition and was slated to be demolished; instead, it was converted to a pedestrian only bridge. It was renamed the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge in April 2014 to honour journalist and civil rights advocate John Seigenthaler, who died of colon cancer in July 2014. The bridge is apparently an iconic Nashville landmark, and several country music videos have been filmed on the bridge. However, I didn't find the bridge that interesting. It took about ten minutes to walk over the bridge, one way (and I was taking my time), and there was construction blocking areas of the bridge. Also, there were so many assholes on bikes and scooters zooming by, nearly hitting pedestrians, despite signs to dismount. I walked across the bridge since I was in the area and I had some time to kill, but I wouldn't go out of my way to walk across the bridge. The bridge definitely does not compare to the Big Four Bridge in Louisville. [Yelp collections: Nashville, TN 2026; Bridges and Castles] read more

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The John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge in Nashville is one of the world's longest pedestrian-only bridges, stretching 3,150 feet across the Cumberland River to connect downtown with the East Bank. Gayle and I walked this bridge (round trip) a couple times and appreciated the river view and that of the present football stadium and the new one being built. The folks we met included a few homeless, a Jehovah's Witness stand, and various pedestrians and scooters. On one of our walks, we continued on to the Edgewood neighborhood, but otherwise folks might walk along the river on the East Side or take a look at all the construction and turn around. read more

Perfect place to catch the sunset and enjoy the beautiful Nashville city skyline. I love that this bridge is always well kept and clean. And you can get free parking right under the bridge as well. read more

John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

It's a beautiful enough bridge and easily walkable from one side to the other and back in about 20-25 minutes, if you aren't in a hurry. The main reason you should walk it is for the amazing views of the Cumberland River below and the downtown skyline. I guess this is one of the longest "pedestrian" bridges in the world. I am guessing that means the bridge is for pedestrians only because I have personally walked on at least three other longer bridges but they also allowed cars. Whatever. It's well worth a stroll. Lots of photo ops plus some exercise. read more

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The longest pedestrian bridge. Sucha beautiful place. Ended up going to a rooftop restaurant nearby. You dont get tired walking this bridge even though it is long because it is so pretty the view read more

John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge - me and girl on bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

This is a super cool pedestrian bridge that is over the Cumberland River. We walked over this bridge to get to downtown area after our boat cruise. Awesome photo ops.. The bridge spans 3,150 feet and is one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the world. It's famous for being the start and finish line for the Shoney's 5K Fun Run Elevator to get to the top of the bridge and walk is a crazy HOT BOX you have to hold your breath as it really really stinks like urine and other "stuff" also because it is so hot in Nashville the heat makes the smell worse read more

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The pedestrian bridge is just off Broadway and close to the Johnny Cash museum. There are stairs and a slight elevation but also an elevator if needed to get to the bridge. It is an easy walk across the bridge with a great view of Nissan stadium, the river and the sights of Broadway. When I went, early on a Monday I noticed several homeless people sleeping. No one bothered anyone. The bridge was originally constructed in 1909 and renovated and opened as a pedestrian only bridge in 2003. If you're visiting Nashville and find yourself on Broadway... who doesn't... take a few minutes and take a break from the crowds and walk over the pedestrian bridge. read more

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In retrospection of the week that I vacationed with my family in Nashville, I have come to the conclusion that the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge, which is one of the longest in the World, is "The Best Location in Nashville to take pictures." This excerpt from my June 24, 2025 Journal details my first-hand experience here: "It is 10:08 AM. My brother and I are walking Symphony Place to the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge. Nashville is excruciatingly hot and humid. Walking along the Pedestrian Bridge, I am making maximum use of the Pixel 8A camera. With the Cumberland River starring in the photos, I am taking photo after photo of it with the breathtaking Nashville skyline topped off by the At&T Building to the west and with Nissan Stadium, the Ghost Ballet sculpture, and the riverside to the east. To the south, I photograph a relatively green Cumberland River alongside a railroad line and trees with bridges crossing over it. We turn around at a ramp leading to a Nissan Stadium parking lot. [Private conversation]. At 11 AM, we meet Dad at the Walk of Fame Park." I would like to bring up that this pedestrian bridge is as historic as many of the buildings that it overlooks. It originally opened to all traffic on July 5, 1909. It was named the Shelby Street Bridge. It closed for some time before reopening as the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge on August 3, 2003. This paragraph explains the best way to experience it, based off my own experience. I recommend starting the eastbound walk from Rep. John Lewis Way. This immediately feeds you into the Walk of Fame Park directly outside the Nashville Hilton. Looking to the right provides first-rate photos of the Country Hall of Fame. Continuing east, the walk crosses over 4th Avenue and changes into Symphony Place. This is a prime viewing area to see the Nashville Symphony Statue. After crossing Third Avenue, you will start gradually climbing the 3,150 long pedestrian bridge. There are zero stairs. It gradually ascends to 70-80 feet over the Cumberland River where the experience will treat you to breathtaking view of the Nashville Skyline, Nissan Stadium with the "Ghost Ballet" Sculpture and more. As a bonus there are observation areas separated from the pedestrian and bicycle traffic. The bridge concludes at a Nissan Stadium parking lot, where you have the option to continue along the riverfront greenery. In conclusion, I give the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge: Five Stars. It is "Amazing!" What went well was seeing and taking magnificent photographs of the Cumberland River with the Downtown Nashville skyline and with the Nissan Stadium with the "Ghost Ballet" sculpture. Proceeding this review are the magnicent photos. read more

PROS: amazing bridge! Reminds me of the Brooklyn pedestrian bridge. Very clean, spacious, and you can see the city skyline and the titans stadium CONS: there's a lot of homeless on the bridge asking for a handout and you do run into the occasional street performers who's soliciting OVERALL: just turn a blind eye to the money grabbers and you'll enjoy the bridge, and its sights, to the fullest read more

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Nice spot to visit. Night time and day time is a whole new vibe. Nice to take a stroll out of the hectic honky tonk area. read more

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Beautiful walking trails and great view of the Cumberland River. We were there on a Sunday morning, and it was lively but not crowded. read more

John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge - Beautiful walking trails and great view of the Cumberland River. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

Gorgeous views and a breathtaking walk. We took a stroll across the water to explore the waterfront park read more

John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

For me a visit to Nashvegas is not complete without a walk over this bridge. Great views and easy to walk. Take a peek at Nissan Stadium and the paint the titan fans feel every Sunday. Plus it's free read more

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Walking back from lunch I noticed the pedestrian bridge. I had wanted to walk it and decided it was a good time to do so. Nice weather, not rainy so I walked towards it. There are elevators from the bottom to the walkway. Some performers on the bridge. The view from the bridge is pleasant and there are seats available. You can enjoy a semblance of peace from the music and chaos of Broadway. Good exercise as it rises but a little hike if you're not physically active. read more

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Great views of the city and the river! A nice walk to enjoy the day with family and friends. Close to bars and restaurants and also lights up at night. Great for an evening stroll. read more

John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

This walking bridge is very cool! I love how many places there are to walk around in this area. The bridge itself is a decent walk across, the incline isn't too bad (but we did work up a bit of a sweat pushing the stroller haha). The view from the middle of the bridge is amazing. The structure itself is cool as well. You should wait for the Ferry ship to sail past is cool! Lots of photo opportunities around. There are some kind of standing/rest areas to the side with a few benches around the middle so you don't have to be worried about standing in anyone's way. There were some people on scooters and bikes who were sometimes moving very quickly so it's good to be self aware to avoid an accident. It's kind of shocking for it to feel like peaceful with the city so nearby, but it really is lovely. We would definitely go back the next time we are in the area. read more

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Great place to walk/stroll after a meal. About 10 min walk from Country Music Hall of Fame. read more

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After dining at Johnny Cash's Bar and BBQ, my original thought was to head to my rental car and charge my phone. I had left my portable battery charger. I looked across the street and saw a bridge where folks were walking on it. In May, I visited the Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis. I had a delightful walking experience on it that I wanted to go on the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge to get a similar one. I headed to my car to briefly charge my phone and put away my photos with Johnny Cash. When I had more of a charge on my phone, I hit the bridge. This bridge used to be called Sparkman Street Bridge, which connected this street with Shelby Avenue. It was constructed in 1909, with the Cumberland River flowing below it. Some prefer to call this bridge the Shelby Street Bridge. Technically, it's Shelby Avenue, so you won't have me use that name! It officially changed its name to John Seigenthaler Bridge in 2014. It is named after the journalist and civil rights advocate who worked for The Tennessean. Between this bridge and Stone Arch, the former felt longer to walk. I liked walking the entire distance and returning while casually taking photos. It was a hot day and my phone has my personality. It was getting hot and wanted some shade. I put it briefly away in my purse to let it hibernate and it was fine afterwards. I like that there are places to sit down if you do need a break. No one was jogging this day. It was too hot to barely breathe, let along walk across it at a quick pace. You get lovely views of the Nashville skyline. You can take the bridge across to drop by Nissan Stadium, which is the home of the Tennessee Titans (NFL) and the Tigers (Tennessee State University). Concerts are also held here. I enjoyed seeing a ferry boat pass under the bridge. As you walk across the bridge, you get to see the Korean Veterans Memorial Bridge nearby, practically parallel to it. I learned so much about what I was looking at. I saw the Ghost Ballet for the East Bank Machineworks sculpture below and it made me first scratch my head. It's an art installation that is supposed to represent dance movements. I didn't get it, but I love the contrast between it and the peaceful river behind it. Despite it being a hot, sunny, humid day, I thoroughly enjoyed walking across this bridge. You can get lovely downtown skyline shots of Nashville. As a first-time visitor to Nashville, I learned so much about what I was looking at. The best part was walking back to my car and noticing that the Schermerhorn Symphony Center was right next to the lot where my car was. It's where the Nashville Symphony plays, foreshadowing my concert several days later. This city has so much to discover. I'm so glad that I found this bridge. I'd love to take a walk across it again. Here's hoping that it's cooler when I return. (273) read more

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During our walking tour of Downtown Nashville in late November, R and I walked on the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge to see what kind of city views we could get for pics. Very nice views can be seen from this bridge! We walked here from Germantown, so I'm not sure of where parking is available. We took the steps up from the street level, but visitors can avoid the steps by starting the walk where the bridge ends at the street. I love that this bridge doesn't allow cards, but walkers need to be aware that there are the occasional knuckleheads on bikes and scooters that like to speed at the ends of the bridge. There are benches on the bridge to sit on and take in the views. People can take selfies and some great pics of the scenery and nearby points of interest. read more

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Beautiful bridge. Great views of Nashville. Don't visit without taking a walk. We saw scooters and bikes so, unlike the name suggests, it's not just for pedestrians!!! read more

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Great views of downtown Nashville, the Cumberland River and the Nissan Stadium on this pedestrian bridge. Perfect place to watch the sun rise or set on a cool autumn day. The bridge, also known as the Sparkman Street Bridge or the Shelby Street Bridge, was the first bridge in the US to have concrete arched trusses. The concrete was replaced by gunite due to excessive weathering in the late 1920s. It has been renovated and still continues to undergo renovations, but has escaped demolition due to the unique truss design. read more

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This is a great option to get from Nissan Stadium and back to Broadway. I'm sure this bridge is packed on game day Sundays, but we came on a Friday night it wasn't too bad. Great views of downtown, the river and on a brisk nights it's great for a stroll. No cars are allowed on this bridge, so it's safe except for the occasional speedy bike rider. There is an elevator on the East side of the bridge, but I didn't see one on the West side or Broadway side of the bridge. Looking to get your older visiting family member tired? Have them walk over this a few times and call it a day. That's what I did! read more

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This is a Fun pedestrian bridge of my buddy, and I walked across when we were in town for an event. There's lotta cheering at whooping and hollering at all kinds of good Times having across this bridge. read more

If you want a great view of downtown Nashville, walk this bridge. There's non-event street parking near the stadium and the views along the water are stunning! read more

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Beautiful morning to join the bikers walkers and runners across the bridge to the Nissan Football Stadium. read more

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One of my favorite discoveries in Nashville! Get yourself Some Free parking by the stadium and enjoy a short walk Over the Cumberland to downtown. We loved watching the boats and folks strolling along the river- highly recommend to nash newbies read more

A cool vantage point with city views, a sneak peak of the Titans stadium, and of course waterfront views too! Cant wait to go back and visit at night with the city lights going. The bridge itself seems well maintained and clean. Parking very close by however we didn't come across any parking without paying - some were $3 for 15 minutes, and others offer hourly ranging from 1, 2 and up to 5 hours, etc. You can also visit Broadway from various parking options since it's literally right there! read more

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This is about between .5-.75 miles to walk the whole bridge both ways. Beautiful view! Great way to start the day before things open up.

The John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge connects Cumberland Park and Nissan Stadium areas to downtown Nashville. It is impossible not to admire the Nashville skyline with the iconic Batman building and the river view as you are walking across. Besides the view, it is also very practical. If you are seeing a Titans game then you can leave your car and walk across the bridge to grab dinner afterwards. Sometimes parking downtown can be challenging and expensive so it can be a good idea just to park across the bridge and walk. I know someone who took her engagement photos with her fiancee on this bridge and they came out great! I've also seen private events setup on the bridge which is a cool idea on a warm evening. I sometimes forget about this bridge (especially during Winter) but it is beautiful year round. read more

John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge - View from the bridge looking at Nissan stadium - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

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Looking for a great photo opp with the city as your backdrop? Need to get from downtown to Cumberland Park and/or Nissan Stadium (or vice versa)? If you answered yes to either of those, then visit this bridge! Located about a block from Broadway on 2nd Street, is the city side entrance to the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge. As mentioned above, its ultimate purpose is to connect two keys areas of the city due to the river it crosses, but the main use seems to be chill walks and dope selfies/pics! I can't lie, we got a pretty legit selfie with the skyline and river behind us! What makes this bridge a little different from others I have visited in other cities is the practicality and well thought out design that features designated spaces on both sides for people to take breaks, get photos and just hang out without being a disruption to the flow of other pedestrians. There are two on each side, and obviously the ones on the city view side are always a little busier, but with that there is always a helping hand to get that perfect shot of you and your friends! Overall, it's a cool spot to visit as a tourist or as a local. read more

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I never thought I would be so excited to see and walk a bridge. It was the first weekend the stay-at-home mandate was lifted and Nashville began phase 1 of the reopening process. The night was calm and peaceful as many where not out and about. The bridge was lit in my favorite color blue to honor healthcare workers and the 2020 graduates. The bridge is named after Seigenthaler, a Tennessean reporter and civil rights activist who saved a man from jumping off the then Shelby Street Bridge in 1954. I had no idea of the history until a nice homeless man gave me this bit of info. before he laid down on a bench for the night. Go figure! One of Nashville's landmarks that is a must see. It has one of the best views of Nashville Skyline and Nissan Stadium for that perfect photo-op. read more

John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge - Congratulations class of 2020 - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

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This was such a cool experience. I've never been to any other city where you can just walk across a pedestrian bridge to get to the stadium on game day. We were staying at the Hilton Nashville in the Downtown area. It was the easiest walk ever to get to Nissan Stadium to watch our Bucs lose miserably. That didn't stop us from enjoying this wonderful trip to Nashville. There are some awesome views of the city and the stadium from this bridge. It's worth a walk over even if it's not game day. Don't miss it. read more

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Nice bridge to walk across to get a view of the Nashville skyline. Be careful that you are going across the correct bridge, because at first we almost went across the one for cars. This one is pedestrian-only. You can get a view of the other bridge from one side, and then the city view on the other. We saw a ginormous steamboat pass under us while we were there so that made for a pretty sight (and looked just like the scene on the magnet I bought to take home!) read more

John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

Literally it is a pedestrian bridge. You don't drive through it. You can either enter near Nissan Stadium, home of the Titans in Cumberland Park or Downtown. I entered the bridge through Cumberland Park. There is plenty of free parking around the stadium and right at the base of the bridge. You can walk on the bridge or rent a scooter/bike and make your way up the bridge. Take plenty of photos of the Downtown skyline and the Titans Stadium on the other side. It's a great way to relax and check out downtown Nashville. read more

Built by John Seigen. Building this bridge had an effect on him. It made John Seigen taller. I know a lovely girl by the name of Seigenthaler - I wonder if this bridge is named after her? I love that they have a pedestrian bridge here in Nashville. You would not think that in America such things would exist, because pedestrians are mainly obsolete. Except maybe in New York City and San Francisco. But anyway pretty awesome. The views are absolutely gorgeous and there's a park on one side and the stadium on the other side. It's right down the end of Lower Broadway which is the coolest place to walk in Nashville. It's a little creepy at night which is the only reason I don't give it a 5-star rating. read more

John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge - You're such a heartless bridge - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

You have to go see this beautiful iconic bridge when you visit Nashville! It's perfect location to take pictures during the day or night! read more

I'm sure the view is even better at dusk and night but this is a great spot for a picture! It is a bit steep so be careful of that or take the elevator. read more

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Very cool pedestrian bring to walk over the Cumberland River. Go at evening time to see all the Nashville city lights. Also takes you right to Nissan Stadium. read more

Ok. So nashville is much more than drinking and music! The riverfront is gorgeous! We were curious about the amount of construction going on but wee reminded that there was a bombing there at Christmas! They look to be rebuilding. I bet that was an amazing place proto to that as you could eat and enjoy the scenic views. Anyway, we walked down by the river and enjoyed the beautiful Nashville weather and noticed the pedestrian bridge. I high recommend taking this beautiful walk. The bridge used to be open to cars but was closed to motor vehicles. It's a great place to just decompress. They also had a huge cycling class going on. I have no idea what they do with these bikes when the class is over but it was totally packed and everyone was standing around cheering the class on. It looked like it was super fun and I'm sure they got a great workout in as we were sweating just watching them! I wanted to walk this at night but unfortunately we ran out of time. Next time Nashville! We are already planning a trip back! read more

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Must visit if you're in town. 3,150 ft. only truss bridge over the Cumberland River. You'll see tons of landmarks and great spots for photo opportunities. read more

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