The topic of the paper is earthquake, its occurrence, propagation, action on bridges and measures in the construction of bridges that ensure their load-bearing capacity in seismic situations. The types of soil failure and its strengthening are also described. The possible failure of certain structural elements, such as foundations, columns, bearings and span structures, is also described. Major earthquakes were mentioned which showed the need to design bridges resistant to seismic action. An example of a bridge design according to EN1998-2 standards is presented. Forced displacements and the types of damage they can cause are explained. Examples of retrofitting individual structural elements for each type of damage are presented. The modern way of designing bridges with seismic insulation and damping is explained. The last chapter presents examples of damage to bridges that are poorly designed and examples of bridges that are designed according to EN1998-2 and that use seismic insulation and damping.