China Opens World’s Longest Glass Bridge That’s Over 5 Football Fields Long

The glass bridge, which is 526 meters (1,725 feet) long, connects the two sides of Huangchuan Three Gorges, the ancient name of the Lianjian River, according to South China Morning Post.

 

It took three years to build and cost 300 million yuan ($43 million). Guinness World Records awarded the local government a certificate during its soft opening on July 18, according to LADbible.

The previous record-holder was the Hongya Valley glass bridge in Hubei Province, which measured 488 meters (1,600 feet) long and opened in 2017.

In the video, the bridge withstood two cars driving through it and over a dozen people for its grand unveiling. It will be able to hold 500 tourists at once on four observation decks, according to the staff of the area. Tourists can also bungee jump, zip line or use the bridge as a runway for fashion shows, they said. The 99.15% transparent glass is made from three layers which are 4.5 centimeters (1.77 inches) thick.

China opened about 2,300 glass bridges in the country in recent years. However, authorities closed some of the bridges due to safety concerns. In 2016, the country closed its record-breaking bridge in the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon 13 days after its opening.

Safety officials were forced to close 32 glass bridge attractions in the Hubei Province since March 2018, according to BBC News.

Feature Image Screenshot via South China Morning Post