New York  - New York's iconic bridge connecting Manhattan to Brooklyn over the East River will be 125-years-old this weekend, a time for celebration for the mass of immigrants who treasure its usefullness and resilience.

Authorities planned fireworks and walks across the 2,000-meter-long landmark that opened on May 24, 1883. Today, it is used daily by hundreds of thousands of subway commuters and more than 120,000 vehicles.

Fireworks were to be displayed Thursday night and coming days as Americans prepared to enjoy the three-day weekend with Memorial Day on Monday.

The Brooklyn Bridge, with its Gothic-arched massive stone pillars supporting spans tied together by a web of steel cables, has inspired other suspension bridges in the United States. Its strength and the landmark status has attracted tourists from all over the world.

Historically, immigrant engineers from Europe spent 13 years to build the bridge at the cost of 15 million dollars. Their work was admired by Washington, which sent President Chester Arthur and a delegation of officials to the opening day 125 years ago.

The bridge opened rural Brooklyn from the beginning to the mass of immigrants. Brooklyn and Queens are today the two most populated of New York City's five boroughs, which have a total population of more than 8 million. The other boroughs are Manhattan, Bronx and Staten Island. (dpa)