The ‘scary’ glass bridges of China
This spectacular structure is probably the world’s longest and tallest glass bridge
Glass bridges in China have been one of the top tourist attractions in the country. With transparent bottoms and breath-taking views all around, visiting these bridges is not for the faint hearted.
There are more than 40 glass-bottomed bridges all over the country. Some of them are so big that they can hold up to 3,000 people. Other than walking on them, tourists can also engage in activities like bungee jumping, skydiving, and trekking in the surrounding areas.
In the last few years, there have been some accidents, which prompted authorities to shut down some of the bridges. High wind cracked the glass floor of one while rain caused accidents on another.
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According to media reports, a tourist died from an accident on a glass slide in Hubei in 2017. In 2015, a glass skywalk in Henan province cracked after it was inaugurated for only two weeks.
Some of the most famous glass bridges in China include the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, which was opened in 2016.
This spectacular structure is probably the world's longest and tallest glass bridge.
It hangs 300 meters (984 ft) above the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon and is 430 meters (1,410 ft) in length and six meters (20 ft) in breadth.
The Tianyun Mountain Glass Bridge situated in outer Beijing spans between two mountains and is connected to a large glass viewing platform.
There is a 3D Glass Bridge over the Yellow River in Ningxia and when you walk on it, you feel like you are walking on the river.
The Yinglong Gorge Glass Bridge in Chongqing claims to give visitors a 5D experience.
When you stand on it, you might feel as if you are standing on a 'broken' glass floor, but actually it is a special effect.
Experts suggest that to avoid accidents, these special bridges need to be built with strong glasses and their quality and endurance should be thoroughly checked before construction begins. Because the primary material used is glass, once cracks develop, there is usually no way to salvage the pieces.
Also, these bridges should not be used as regular commuter bridges and only as tourist attractions.
However, some Chinese citizens believe that accidents should not cause the bridges to be shut down forever. One of them spoke to the BBC during an interview and said, "If Sydney's Harbour Bridge experienced a crack, I doubt government officials would close it down. So we should not let such an episode affect our opinions about our unique Chinese structures."
