Widely recognised in its time as a great feat of engineering, its familiar shape is famous. Built from 1883-1890 for a total cost of £3,177,206, it was an ambitions project just after the great disaster of the Tay Bridge in 1879. Its construction did not pass without accidents and deaths too. To repaint the 54 ha surface of its 50,000 tonnes of metal girders takes at least three years and 31,822 litres of special paint.