A
pier is a raised walkway over water,
supported by widely spread piles or
pillars. The lighter structure of
a pier allows tides and currents to
flow almost unhindered, whereas the
more solid foundations of a quay or
the closely-spaced piles of a wharf
can act as breakwaters, and are consequently
more liable to silting. Piers can
range in size and complexity from
a simply lightweight wooden structure
to major structures extended over
a mile out to sea.
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