Enormous Progreso Pier Has Stood Strong for 84 Years
The huge Progreso Pier, a Mexican maritime wonder, is the longest in the world. Turning 84 years old in 2025, the original section of the pier has now survived over eight decades’ worth of hurricanes thanks to its steel-and-cement structure. Built by the Danish company Christiani & Nielsen, this record-breaking Progreso landmark needs to be seen to be believed.
The original section of the pier stretches over four miles into the Gulf of Mexico and is held up by a series of 146 arches. Work on the pier officially began in 1936 and was completed in 1941.
Since then, several renovation and expansion projects have made the dock the longest in the world. It resembles a bridge to some far-off land.
It has long been a local urban legend that the pier was intended to be a bridge connecting Yucatán with the Florida Keys or Cuba.
Progreso Pier is a Mexican Marvel
In reality, the length of the pier allows large ships to dock, as the waters surrounding the Yucatán Peninsula are very shallow.
Since its completion, the Progreso pier has become one of the most important in southern Mexico. Every day, a great many imports and exports are shipped through it.
Over the past decade, the pier has become an increasingly popular port for cruise ships.
While tourists arriving on these cruise ships stay in Progreso to enjoy the beach and boardwalk, others take the opportunity to venture off to one of Yucatán’s many archaeological sites, such as Chichén Itzá, Uxmal, or Dziblichalútn.
To learn a little more about this marvel of engineering, including an incredible aerial shot, click here.
Senior Editor Carlos Rosado van der Gracht is a Mexican expedition/Canadian photographer, adventure leader, and PhD candidate. Born in Mérida, Carlos holds multimedia, philosophy, and translation degrees from universities in Mexico, Canada and Norway.
