Image: Wikimedia Commons

pier

Raised structure in a body of water, typically supported by well-spaced piles or pillars

EntityQ863454

Also known as beach pier

Subclass of: built structure
, thoroughfare
, public transport stop

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · Read full article · Text CC BY-SA 4.0

A pier is a raised structure that rises above a body of water and usually juts out from its shore, typically supported by piles or pillars, and provides above-water access to offshore areas. Frequent pier uses include fishing, boat docking and access for both passengers and cargo, and oceanside recreation such as swimming. Bridges, buildings, and walkways may all be supported by architectural piers. Their open structure allows tides and currents to flow relatively unhindered, whereas the more solid foundations of a quay or the closely spaced piles of a wharf can act as a breakwater, and are consequently more liable to silting. Piers can range in size and complexity from a simple lightweight wooden structure to major structures extended over 1,600 m (5,200 ft). In American English, a pier may be synonymous with a dock.

Overview

All data

48 statements · 25% with external sources · numbers in brackets are citations

Has use: pleasure
angling
berth
Has immediate cause: tide
Has contributing factor: water transport
OpenStreetMap tag: man_made=pier
Different from: pier
jetty
Category for the view from the item: Category:Views from piers
Partially coincident with: jetty

On other databases

31 identifiers linking pier across the web's reference databases

Data quality

statements

25%

externally sourced

Source last edited August 21, 2026. AIDb refreshes this page daily.

Suggest a fact or correction

Links

Use this data

curl https://aidb.si/api/v1/entities/Q863454

API docs, limits & keys

Cite this page

AIDb. (2026). pier (Q863454). Retrieved from https://aidb.si/e/pier-Q863454