A multilevel air-gap-containing interconnect structure and a method of fabricating the same are provided. The multilevel air-gap-containing interconnect structure includes a collection of interspersed line levels and via levels, with via levels comprising conductive vias embedded in one or more dielectric layers in which the dielectric layers are solid underneath and above line features in adjacent levels, and perforated between line features. The line levels contain conductive lines and an air-gap-containing dielectric. A solid dielectric bridge layer, containing conductive contacts and formed by filling in a perforated dielectric layer, is disposed over the collection of interspersed line and via levels.