Top 4 Bridges with Long History in China
24,2007
Editor:at0086| Resource:AT0086.com
FavoriteMy
Favorite
China boasts many famous bridges with long history. If you are coming to China and interested in bridges, the following bridges should not be missed.
Lugou Bridge indeed merits Marco Polo's rhapsodic description. During the 800 years since it was built it has been one of Beijing's eight famous scenic sites. It bears the poetic name The Moon at Dawn over Lugou Bridge personally inscribed by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty who was moved by its beauty under the fading moon at dawn. It was built in 1189 over a period of three years. This stone structure, 266.5 meters long and 7.5 meters wide, rests on 11 arches. On both sides of the bridge are carved stone balustrades supported by 281 stone posts, on each of which stand stone carved lions in various postures.
Zhaozhou Bridge
Its architect and builder was Li Chun of the Sui Dynasty. Built between 595 and 605, the bridge is 50.82 meters long and 9.6 meters wide. The main stone arch spans 37.37 meters. It has been celebrated through the centuries, not only for its unprecedentedly wide arch span, but also for the breakthroughs it represents in the history of bridge building. Prior to Li's coming of age as engineer, bridge arches were half-moon shaped. It was Li Chun that successfully introduced the technique of crescent shaped bridge arches.
Guangji Bridge
The Guangji was originally a boat bridge built in the 12th century. Later construction of piers and framework started from both banks of the river on which it was moored, and a full 200 years later the Guangji Bridge, a floating section in between two beamed sections, was completed. When necessary the floating section can be moved away, an innovation that set a precedent in bridge-building history. A feature that makes the bridge particularly outstanding is that its two beamed sections resemble waterside streets with rows of pavilions and towers.
Luoyang Bridge
The Luoyang or Wan'an Bridge is the only ocean bridge. Building started in 1053 and was completed in 1059. The bridge was originally 1,200 meters long and five meters wide with 46 piers. The two sides were lined with 500 carved stone balusters, and there were seven pavilions and nine towers on the bridge. The two banks were planted with pines in order to secure the soil. Luoyang Bridge features two ancient building techniques. One was pouring large amounts of pebbles into the river along the bridge's central axis to act as a foundation for the piers. The other was encouraging barnacles to adhere to and proliferate on the foundations, so consolidating them.