Glass bridge in China: the most interesting combinations of profit and aesthetics. Glass Bridge in China: Journey along the "air trail"

The bridge is strong enough, there should not be any defects, it is able to withstand even a high temperature of 60 °. Does not wobble or stagger in wind speeds of 220 kilometers per hour.

The bridge is treated with care, everyone who wants to walk on it puts on shoe covers. And for people who really want to admire the beauty of the valley, but are afraid to go alone, there is a special staff that accompanies the whole way - from one peak to another.

True, the Chinese themselves are already accustomed to such bridges. The very first glass bridge was built on Tianmen Mountain. The length of courage is only 61 meters. But when you find out at what height the bridge is located, you are unlikely to agree to feel all the delights of human creation. The bridge flaunts at an altitude of 1220 meters. There are always enough people who want to, but there are more of those who are instilled with fear of heights. Many people are terrified of heights, I wonder what it was like for the builders. We hope that their work is well compensated.

You won't believe it, but not so long ago a guide led tourist group along the bridge, when suddenly cracks began to appear under his feet with a creaking sound.

The man fell to the floor and started screaming, he was scared. Interestingly, a happy, calm man walks towards him and casts an incomprehensible glance at the guide. He is not aware of what happened.

In the video you can see what is happening for yourself. People were so excited, and there were heated discussions on the net later. To reassure people, the East Taihanshan County government told the media that these were just special effects. This is such a PR move in order to a large number of tourists visited such a frightening attraction.

China surprises the whole world with its ability to create masterpieces with the epithet "the most". Tall, large, numerous, long - you will find everything in China. A special topic is the construction of bridges and tunnels. Even the famous Great Wall- promenade option mountain ranges. glass bridge in China, made of heavy-duty material, it won the title of "fearlessness attraction". The latest masterpiece once again forced the whole world to recognize that this country is curious not only for its traditions of oriental identity, but also for its unique ability to combine them with modern achievements in science and technology.

Ahead of Europe: a transparent bridge in China

The construction of structures in this "country of the Celestial Empire" has both a practical, utilitarian, and aesthetic, decorative purpose. The most ancient, unusual, long, exotic, wide bridges were built in this amazing country. And they partially serve to solve really practical problems. Such complex interchanges and multi-lane highways and bridges, as in Beijing, are rarely seen anywhere. At the same time, in the tropical island of Hainan, bridges are widely used to decorate parks and hotel areas. Glass bridge in China currently under construction, tribute modern technologies and proof of the entrepreneurial spirit of the craftsmen, but time will tell whether this material is appropriate.

First arch bridges appeared in 610. Europe, only eight centuries later, approached those technologies of antiquity that were used in the construction in ancient China in 610. This bridge, built in Hebei Province, has survived ten floods and earthquakes and has survived in its original form to this day. This is a kind of monument, like a modern glass bridge in China, to the ingenuity of craftsmen. But more on that later.

China: the bridge of the future

A true masterpiece being built between Hong Kong and China, the Pearl River Necklace Bridge by NL Architects claims to be the "world's most humane bridge". It makes it possible for any type of car to comfortably change lanes to the lane option that is required: for Hong Kong it is the right side, for China it is the left side of the traffic. Moreover, the road tape itself changes places, and the driver does not have to make additional maneuvers. The project is also interesting for its design solution. It is planned to be completed by 2016. The author of this project is a Dutch company, and it was developed as part of a competition proclaimed by the Chinese side.

Glass Bridge of Fear

Transparent bridge in China made of heavy-duty material built in natural park Zhangjiajie. The extraordinary "Avatar" beauty of the mountain range was used by enterprising Chinese to attract tourists, and it is worth recognizing that the idea has fully justified itself. The glass bridge in China also serves as an observation deck, which offers not only panoramic views of the mountains, but also no less picturesque scenes under the feet of desperate tourists. This "fearless attraction" 60 meters long and at an altitude of 1430 meters, on the mountain "Heaven's Gate" (Tianmen) gained popularity immediately after the opening. Crowds of guests visit the glass bridge in China. Photos taken as a keepsake will be a good advertisement for thrill-seekers.

The most transparent bridge

Where is he located? In the south of China, in the province of Hunan, a suspension glass bridge was built in the mountains. At an altitude of 180 meters, you can walk along modern building 300 meters long, connecting two rocks of the mountain range. The ability to imagine that 36 mm (three layers of heavy-duty glass) separates from the abyss when you walk almost through the air is a great premise to think about the fact that life is unique and fragile! To confirm the strength and in order to draw attention to the transparent bridge in China, a whole group of volunteers was brought out. Thus, they are connected to modern world shows, technology and simple human curiosity.

Transparent bridge - a symbol of trust

Suspension transparent bridge attracted the attention of the whole world. This "fragile" structure connects two cliffs and has the commercial purpose of an observation deck.

The bridge is humane because its purpose is to unite. The glass bridge in China you see here will be able to withstand enough foot traffic, as evidenced by a group of volunteers who testify to the strength of the structure.

Since climbing this particular bridge does require a certain amount of courage, a dedicated attendant is provided to help visitors cope with fear.

Everything that in the world serves people, their needs and aesthetic pleasure is worthy of attention and implementation in practice. The theme of bridges connecting coasts and continents, helping people overcome relief obstacles, is a confirmation of this. The combination of utility and aesthetics is the main principle of architectural projects.

Fans of extreme sports and unusual types of entertainment should take a walk along the glass bridge in China. Made entirely of glass, it gives the impression of hovering over the abyss - just look at your feet. There are similar structures in other countries of the world, but it is chinese bridge- the longest. The glass bridge is located at a height of 180 meters above the Pinyang Valley and connects two Mountain peaks.

However, for China, the glass bridge is not new. Previously, they have already built a glass bridge that goes around Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie National Park. national forest Park).

THERE ARE TWO GLASS BRIDGES? LET'S DISCOVER!
Glass Bridge on Tianmen Mountain built on the territory national park China's Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, located in Hunan Province. The length of the bridge is about 70 meters and it is located at an altitude of 1900 meters. The bridge goes around Tianmen Mountain and goes to Zhangjiajie Mountain, which provides amazing view to the beauty of the natural park.

Glass Bridge on Tianmen Mountain

Glass Bridge over the Pingyan Valley located at an altitude of 180 meters. Its length is about 300 meters, and it connects two mountain peaks. The sides and floor are made of extra-strong three-layer glass, which is 25 times stronger than ordinary glass. Such a bridge will withstand any load - no matter how hard the tourists jump, the engineers assure. Its design is resistant to temperature extremes of 60 degrees Celsius and wind speeds up to 220 km/h. However, even knowing about the reliability of the bridge, tourists who set foot on it are often afraid to look down. After all, an abyss opens up under your feet and it feels like you are walking on air. That is why the attraction was nicknamed " air path". The staff working near the bridge helps to overcome this path, of course, laughing at the unlucky tourists who are stuck right in the middle of the bridge in a fit of panic :) Are you weak?

Glass bridge over the Pingyan Valley.

ZHANGJIAJIE NATIONAL FOREST PARK

It will be easy for independent travelers to find this park on world maps:

What else to see in Zhangjiajie National Park?
Certainly, national park Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is not only famous for its glass bridge. This is one of the most beautiful parks China, which has been under the protection of UNESCO since the late 1990s. The local nature not only captivated thousands of tourists from all over the world, but also became a source of inspiration for the award-winning director James Cameron. He specially came here to admire the stone pillars, which eventually became the prototype of the floating mountains in the acclaimed film Avatar.

Apart from stone pillars And glass path, in Zhangjiajie Park there are many attractions that deserve attention:

1. Mountains. They are especially beautiful in the morning when they are covered with a thick layer of fog.

2. Stairway to Huanshi Mountain 3800 steps high, leading to the air path.

3. Elevator "Hundred Dragons". The highest lift in the world, lifting tourists 330 meters above the ground. Its transparent walls and ceiling provide a view of all local attractions.

4. cable car to Mount Tianji, stretching for 7445 m. It is the highest and longest in the whole world.

5. "Sky Highway" 11 km of dangerous mountain serpentine with more than 100 sharp turns.

6. A network of caves, including the four-level Yellow Lion Cave at an altitude of over 1000 m.

WORKING SCHEDULE AND PRICES
You can walk along the glass bridge on Tianmen Mountain daily from 7:00 to 18:00 - at this time the last funicular leaves for the bridge. But you can enter Zhangjiajie Park itself later, if you wish, you can even stay on the territory of the national park for the night, settling in one of the hotels located there.

Entrance fee to the park depends on age and social status visitor:
1. An adult pass for 3 days costs 248 yuan, including insurance - 3 yuan.
2. For students under 24 and children under 1.2m tall, a three-day subscription will cost 163 yuan. Youth must show a student ID to receive a discount. If it does not indicate the date of birth, you should additionally present a passport.
3. Special benefits are provided to disabled people of groups I and II, war veterans and the military, as well as pensioners over 70 years old. The cost of a three-day subscription for these categories of visitors is 68 yuan.
Ticket price includes: entrance to the park and travel through the territory on scheduled buses. Elevator, funiculars, trams, excursions to the caves are paid separately.
In addition, at the entrance to the park it is recommended to buy a map, without which it will be difficult to navigate large area. Its cost is 5 yuan.

According to our readers (Andrew): 300m bridge over Pingyan Valley not located in the park, it is separate standing mountain Tianji and this mountain ticket is bought separately and costs another 270 yuan.

Glass Bridge on Tianmen Mountain

HOW TO GET TO
BY PLANE
Near the Zhangjiajie Nature Park, there are two small town – Zhangjiajie And Wulingyuan. You can get to them by plane from any big city A: Beijing, Guangzhou and Hong Kong, but it's cheaper and faster to fly from Shanghai.

BY TRAIN
From any smaller city in central China, it is cheaper to travel by train. True, you will have to go through several connections.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT
In addition, the town of Zhangjiajie can be reached by bus from Changsha and Fnghuang, located relatively close.
When you reach Zhangjiajie or Wulingyuan, you should take a bus to the park. It departs from the bus station and travels about 1 hour. The ticket price is about 12 yuan. The bus will arrive at the bus station, from which you will need to walk a few minutes to the entrance to the national park.

TAXI
More comfortable and fast way- a taxi, which will cost 100-200 yuan, but will deliver exactly to the destination. The only negative is that Chinese taxi drivers do not speak English, which can make it difficult to explain where to go. It is better to have a booklet with the name of the park with you or show it on the screen of your smartphone in order to avoid misunderstandings with the driver. And be sure to check that the taxi driver turns on the meter, otherwise a dishonest driver will try to deceive you.

Before you travel, you can check the price of tickets from Shanghai to Zhangjiajie (Dayong Airport) on Skyscanner.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE GLASS BRIDGE
1. Few cleaners are willing to clean glass after every tourist. Therefore, in order to keep it clean and transparent, visitors are asked to wear special shoe covers made of fabric when entering the bridge.

2. A strong nervous system is required to walk the aerial path. There are times when tourists faint from fear. Therefore, another name for the bridge is the "path of horror."

3. Specially trained employees are on duty at the entrance to the glass bridge, who help especially impressionable visitors to cross to the other side. Often people panic, not seeing the floor under their feet, and in this case, moral support comes in handy.

4. Since the side of the bridge is also made of glass, tourists try to walk, clinging to the rock. However, this turns out to be problematic: the glass bridge is quite slippery and the person starts to slide, which adds to the extreme.

The glass bridge is not only beautiful, but also stylish. The Chinese decided so, and built an unusual glass building in Hunan province. After the bridge was built, it was used to connect the two sides of the mountains, and also played a lot of tourists.

Bridge features

This bridge is considered the longest structure on the planet made of glass. Its length is 430 meters. And the width is 6 meters. The bridge is suspended at a height of 380 meters. Also, this design is safe and equipped with the latest technology.

The glass bridge project and its construction cost China $3.4 million. The bridge consists of 99 strong and three-layer parts. A national park and a canyon extend under the bridge. So far, excursions at the facility are being held in test mode.

Draws of tourists

Immediately after the opening, a funny incident occurred on an extraordinary bridge. The guide, who was leading the group through the glass structure, suddenly fell to his knees and screamed hysterically, and under his feet there was a visual effect of cracked glass. The tourists were taken aback, but then relaxed a little, because a passer-by was calmly walking along the bridge in their direction.

Glass bridge in China cracked under the feet of tourists (video)

It turned out that the bridge is equipped with interactive panels that create the effect of cracks, as well as reproducing the sound of breaking glass necessary for the prank. These are the Chinese entertainers.

Bridge visit

8,000 people can look at the bridge and walk along it a day. Before opening, the structure was tested for strength more than 100 times. The attraction was opened in 2016. At first, people were on duty near the ticket office in front of the bridge at night to buy a ticket for an excursion.

Now everyone is used to the new miracle of engineering, and the excitement around it has subsided a bit. 800 people can cross the bridge at the same time. But for security reasons, the throughput number was reduced to 600. After all, the bridge itself is guarded by about 200 guards.

The facility is open to visitors from 7 am to 5 pm. It often happens that by 8 am all tickets for the glass bridge are already sold out, so it is worth planning a tour of it in advance.

The ticket price is approximately 140 yuan. A child under 1 meter and 30 centimeters tall can enter for free.

How to get to the glass bridge?

The city with the bridge is located in the southwest of Beijing. You can get there by train. You will have to get off the car at the Zhangjiajie station. It is also possible to fly to this place from Beijing by plane.

The canyon, over which a glass bridge hangs, is a 15-minute drive from the city. It is preferable to get to it by car, which is not difficult to rent.

In fact, bridges with glass inserts, through which dizzying views open up, are found not only among creations modern architecture. It would seem that it is possible to imagine something more reliable and solid than the Tower Bridge in London, a symbol of the Victorian era and prosperity. british kingdom? However, even here the ground can slip from under your feet – if you climb the pedestrian part of the bridge at a height of 44 meters, walk to the area with a glass floor and look at the cars below. However, breathtaking panoramas of London also open up through the windows - and they are certainly worth paying a modest amount for entry here: like any attraction, tickets are sold for the two upper pedestrian bridges and not always allowed.

It is noteworthy that the entrance to the upper part of the bridge was paid from the very beginning, because the Tower "lintels", designed, like the whole structure, by Horace Jones, did not change their position at night, when the automobile part of the bridge was raised. However, zealous Londoners preferred to wait until the bridge was brought down again in order to use the free pedestrian sidewalks.

Expensive maintenance of the elevators did not pay off, and for more than 70 years the road to the top was ordered, until in 1982 an exhibition of the history of the Tower Bridge opened here, which is still open. Moreover, today's visitors have an extra bonus: a trip in a new elevator, which now also has a transparent floor.

However, a completely glass bridge was built already in the 21st century. One of the first was the Lugner Bridge in Vienna by architects Bulant & Wailzer, named after the Austrian billionaire who made his fortune in construction. And the bridge, in turn, serves as the entrance to the shopping center of the same name.

And for Austria - if not for the whole world - in 2005 it was the first time that glass panels of such big size(2 × 5 m) was installed on a steel frame using invisible fasteners, so that the impression of a single glass surface was created - and from all four sides.

Inside the bridge there is a restaurant popular with locals and tourists - so much so that even in the most "dead" time there is no free table here. But from the street it becomes obvious only in the evenings, when the glass "inside" is flooded with blue light.

However, if we talk about spectacular lighting, the Yas Marina complex in the UAE has become a real masterpiece in the field of lighting design. artificial island in the middle of the Persian Gulf near Abu Dhabi. In 2009, the Formula 1 track was inaugurated here - and a giant hotel built right above it, designed by Hani Rashid of the Asymptote bureau.

Two buildings of different heights are united by a huge canopy 217 meters long, reminiscent of a whale half out of the water, and this canopy consists entirely of 5800 glass panels with built-in LEDs.

Diodes are programmed from a single remote control and change color according to a given scenario - that's why the hotel makes such an indelible impression if you see it in the evening.

But not less interesting experience will, of course, be watching the races. AND the best place for this - a glass bridge connecting the hotel buildings: the racing track runs right under it.

A structure with a glass curved canopy - but, of course, on a much smaller scale - was erected in 2010 in the capital of Georgia. The "Bridge of Peace" designed by the Italian Michele de Lucca appeared between the old and new Tbilisi.

We wrote in more detail about the bridge over the Mkhtari River, in which not only the "roof" is made of glass, but also the fences along the entire length. And, although the project was not approved by everyone, today the Bridge of Peace is the same city “icon” as the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, caressed by the attention of tourists.

Actually, tourists, thirsty for spectacles, make up the main target audience glass bridges. Remember the poetic names we listed at the beginning? So all these bridges really exist. For example, many of you have probably heard about Skypath over the Grand Canyon in Arizona, an observation deck designed by architect Mark Ross Johnson and opened in 2009.

This attraction is such an attraction: a bridge in the form of a half-arc, extended beyond the rocks by 20 meters, turns out to be at a height of more than 1.2 km! And this is exactly the case when both the railings and the floor are made of glass, and they are made of glass of special transparency, with protection against pollution.

To look around, so to speak, with a clear look, and feel yourself hovering over the abyss. Whatever you say, this is perhaps the most memorable way to admire the mountains - unless you are ready to put a backpack on your back, arm yourself with an ice ax and crampons and go to conquer Everest.

It is no coincidence that in China, in the south of which mountain ranges especially picturesque, walks in the air over the gorges are so popular. It is here, in the territory national reserve Zhangjiajie, there is the same "path of fear", located even higher than the Arizona "Sky Trail" - 1300 meters above sea level.

And again, glass is everywhere, the only support is the mountainside, along which the path leads. Those who have walked it from beginning to end claim that it was the most endless 60 meters in their lives.

I wonder what it would be like for them on the five times longer "Bold Courageous Bridge" that opened in Hunan province this fall. Last week, we — for China, this is the first bridge made entirely of glass. The builders claim that even if pedestrians start jumping on it - why jump there: even if the glass eventually breaks, nothing terrible will happen.

In general, they wanted to build the bridge from wood, but unexpectedly calculated that 24 mm thick glass panels would make the structure 25 times stronger. And now, at a height of 180 meters, over a picturesque gorge between two rocks, a 300-meter glass bridge stretches - thus taking away some of the glory from another bridge, which will open only six months later.

Here it was supposed to be, indeed, the longest glass bridge - and concurrently the highest: 430 meters long, almost 300 meters high. "Bridge in the Clouds" will stretch over the Chinese version grand canyon(you did not doubt that they have it?) and will consist of 99 glass plates 5 cm thick.

The Italian architect Chaim Dotan, who designed the "cloud road", claims that up to 800 people can be on it at the same time. And those who will still not have enough thrills after the walk will be offered to jump down from it using the “rope jumping” technique, tying a rope to themselves. To fly - so fly!

It is a pity that such picturesque gorges cannot be found near Moscow. However, there is a chance that the capital will soon have its own "floating bridge". A spectacular V-shaped structure, noticeably prominent above the Moskva River, is in the design of the park in Zaryadye, above which in this moment is an international team of specialists led by the New York bureau Diller Scofidio + Renfro.

We do not know how the bridge will look in reality, but in the picture it is magnificent. And the panoramas of Zamoskvorechye, although they cannot compete with mountain scenery are also very attractive.

One way or another, it would be a mistake to talk about glass bridges only in the context of viewing platforms. For example, glass bridges and galleries are increasingly found in housing estates and neighborhoods. Here they perform their direct duty - they connect different parts and levels of the complex together.

Indicative in this sense is the Beijing project Linked Hybrid by American Steven Hall. 9 buildings (8 residential and one hotel) are interconnected at three levels at once: on the ground, underground and in the air. And these suspension bridges actually "made" the quarter, providing it with a recognizable expressive appearance.

From the point of view of space organization, bridges also play a big role: for Stephen Hall, they work as a variety of public areas. There is a pool in one zone, a fitness club in another, a cafe in the third, a gallery in the fourth ... Perhaps, in this duality lies the essence of the name - Linked Hybrid, "linked hybrid". But what is especially important is that all public spaces of the complex can also be used by citizens.

In this regard - and also in the context, of course, of glass bridges - it is impossible not to recall another project - and again in Moscow. The sensational "Garden Quarters", the design code for which was developed by Sergey Skuratov, and all the buildings were designed by prominent Russian architects, are under active construction. And with the Hall project, as it turns out, the "Garden Quarters" have a lot in common.

This is the permeability of public areas for citizens, and the use of bridges as a universal "link" between diverse and multi-level buildings and public spaces. And glass bridges are made to completely dissolve in the surroundings and not distract the eye from a rather rare collection of high-quality architecture in one place for Moscow.

Finally, you probably noticed that absolutely all the bridges in our selection are pedestrian. But believe me: the point is not at all that the glass surface will not withstand the weight of the car. It's just that the glass, being part of the bridge, opens up new levels of connectivity for the pedestrian - not between points A and B, but between our inner world and external, between us and new impressions. Glass seems to give the bridge a third dimension that you can't see through a car window. And only when you feel the ground with your feet, you can break away from it.

Photo by Rupert Steiner, Wikimedia, Asymptote, Skuratov Architects, DS+R, Steven Holl Architects