Inevitably on your China Tours you will come across many beautiful areas that will excite and bewilder you. The country of china is steeped in many years of interesting history. Remains of ancient history are scattered across the land waiting to be discoverd by foreign travellers. So don’t miss the opportunity to witness some of the worlds most beautiful and majestic sites and book your China Flights.
ZhaoZhou Bridge is an ancient artefact that has withstood the test of time. It is located in Zhaoxian County of Hebei Province. Spanning across the Jiao River the bridge was built in the Kaihuang period (595-605 AD) of the Sui Dynasty. Built by craftsman, Li Chun, it is China’s and the worlds oldest and best preserved stone arch bridge. When it was first built it set new precedent amongst bridge building at the time.
The bridge itself is made entirely from stone and spans an impressive 64.4m and has a span of 9m. The foot of the arch is 9.6 meters wide with a beam spanning 37.02 meters. This gives an arch rise of 7.23 meters. The overall structure is a single-hole arch stone bridge, with the central arch made of 28 thin, curved stone slabs arranged in a longitudinal direction. The central arch that is made out of curved limestone slabs that are joined with iron dovetails. This allows the arch to adjust to shifts in its supports, and prevents the bridge from collapsing even when a segment of the arch breaks. This spectacle is another example of the ancient proficiency of Chinese engineering.
Even more impressive is that since the erection of the bridge it has withstood at least eight wars, ten major floods and numerous earthquakes, the most recent being the 7.2-magnitude Xingtai Earthquake in 1966. Despite being subject to a number of onslaughts the structure of the bridge is completely intact and it is still in use today.
ZhaoZhou Bridge is not only a formidable piece of engineering, it also a beautiful ornament amongst its delicate surroundings. The bridge is covered in traditional Chinese artistic styles, which are mainly reflected by the iron dovetails, lotus-pattern decorations, patterns on the rails, and the carvings on the columns. The bridge builder integrated mythological elements into the design in which romantic approaches were used to enhance the beauty of the bridge whilst also incorporating structural stability. The bridge is a perfect combination of ancient Chinese architectural art and superb techniques, reflecting the wisdom of ancient craftsmen. The beauty and poise of the bridge have awarded it worldwide recognition. In 1991, the American Society of Civil Engineers dedicated the bridge as an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. Furthermore, in 1996, the Chinese authorities nominated it for inclusion in the World Heritage List as having “a very important place in the world bridge building history”.
This wonderful bridge is truly spectacular and is a revolutionary piece of engineering. It is now regarded amongst the world’s elite in historic bridges. So don’t delay in booking your China Hotels and seeing this magnificent feat along with much much more!
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