Why is the Sydney Harbour Bridge so tall?

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is not particularly tall. It has a vertical clearance of 134 metres (440 ft) beneath the arch, making it the tallest steel arch bridge in the world. However, it is not among the tallest bridges overall, as many suspension and cable-stayed bridges are much higher. The reason for the bridge's height is to allow large ships to pass underneath, as Sydney is a major port city.