It took just 14 months to construct and was completed in 1905. The bridge was officially opened by Professor Sir George Darwin, son of Charles Darwin and President of the British Association (now the British Science Association), on 12 September 1905.

It is important to clarify that Victoria Falls was not "built" by humans; it is a natural wonder formed by geological processes over millions of years. Located on the Zambezi River at the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, the falls began their journey approximately 180 million years ago during the Jurassic period when volcanic activity laid down massive sheets of basalt. Over the last 100,000 years, the river has eroded through cracks in this basalt, creating a series of eight distinct gorges. The waterfall we see today is actually the latest in a line of waterfalls that have slowly receded upstream. It was famously "discovered" and named by David Livingstone in 1855, but indigenous tribes like the Kololo had known it as Mosi-oa-Tunya ("The Smoke That Thunders") for centuries. In 2026, it remains one of the world's largest and most famous waterfalls, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its unique geological and geomorphological importance, continuing to evolve as the river's immense power carves further into the rock.