The longest bridge in the world is in China — it is the Danyang-Kunshan Viaduct. It was built in 2010 and stretches for a record 164.8 kilometers. Residents of China can quickly travel between Beijing and Shanghai using high-speed trains. It is believed that more than 10 billion dollars were spent on the construction of such a complex structure. You have probably already heard about the longest post on Earth, but what about the highest bridge? Do you know which bridge no one can survive a fall from? And under which bridge can an entire skyscraper fit? We will not torture you — now you will find out everything.
The Duge Bridge in China is capable of making anyone's head spin. Photo source: bangkokbook.ru
Contents
- 1 The Highest Bridge in 2024
- 2 Why Bridges Don't Fall Under the Weight of Cars
- 3 The Largest Bridges in China
- 4 Countries with the Biggest Bridges
The Highest Bridge in 2024
The highest bridge in the world is also in China. It was built in 2016 and is best known as the Duge Bridge. It rises a dizzying 565 meters above the Beipanjiang River Valley. The length of the bridge, compared to many other bridges, is negligible – it stretches only 720 meters. This is the first bridge in the world whose height has exceeded the 500-meter mark.
You can only look at the Duge Bridge from one side, there is no parking on it. Photo source: bangkokbook.ru
To understand how high the Du Ge Bridge is, let's look at a few examples. Remember the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco? It's only 67 meters high. That's nothing compared to the 565-meter bridge in China.
Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Photo source: istockphoto.com
The Chinese Douge Bridge is located over a large abyss. Photo source: bangkokbook.ru
Here is another example. The tallest structure in Russia and even Europe is the Ostankino TV Tower – its height is 540 meters. It turns out that it can be completely located under the Douge Bridge, and there will still be a little space between them.
Ostankino Tower can fit completely under the Duge Bridge. Photo source: bangkokbook.ru
The Duge Bridge will be so high for a reason. Initially, the builders did not think that it would be located at a record height. But during the construction process, they kept coming across caves and cracks in the mountains, which is why they had to climb higher and higher.
Read also: 10 Longest Bridges in the World
Why Bridges Don't Collapse Under the Weight of Cars
The Duge Bridge connects the cities of Xuanwei and Liupanshui. Before this crossing, the journey from one point to another took four hours. Now, thanks to the bridge, people spend just over an hour on the road.
Construction of the Duge Bridge in China. Photo source: bangkokbook.ru
Sometimes there are many cars moving across the Douge Bridge, but it easily holds them. Source: bangkokbook.ru
Cars, sometimes in large numbers, drive on the Duge Bridge. If the bridge were to suddenly collapse, this terrible catastrophe would cause the death of many people – the probability of survival after a fall from such a height is almost zero. But the bridge is very strong because it is a cable-stayed bridge. In short, it is supported by steel cables that are stretched between the bridge supports and support the bridge deck. Thanks to this design, the bridge is extremely stable and reliable.
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The largest bridges in China
The world's largest bridge is located in Guizhou Province, which is famous for its high mountains, canyons, and turbulent rivers. It is a picturesque, but at the same time harsh place that demonstrates the power of nature in full. Because the area has a very difficult landscape, Chinese builders have built many bridges in this place. Yes, the Duge Bridge in Guizhou Province is not the only one – in addition to it, three of the five highest bridges in the world are located in this area.
The Duge Bridge offers an amazing view that is hard to compare with. Photo source: bangkokbook.ru
For example, in Guizhou Province there is the Yachi Road Bridge. The length of this bridge is 1.4 kilometers, and the road surface is at an altitude of 440 meters above the river of the same name. This bridge was also completed in 2016.
Yachi Road Bridge. Photo source: kulturologia.ru
Another high bridge in Guizhou Province is the Qingshuihe Bridge. It is 2.1 kilometers long, and the road surface is at an altitude of 406 meters. It is slightly older than the two bridges mentioned above, its construction was completed in 2015.
China's Qingshuihe Bridge. Photo source: china-qiao.com
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The country with the largest bridges
The Duge Bridge is likely to lose its status as the tallest bridge in the world very soon. According to IFL Science, the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge is currently under construction in China's Guizhou Province. It is expected to be completed in 2025 and will be 625 meters high.
The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge is under construction. Photo credit: raillynews.com
China is a leader in bridge construction. Most of the world's tallest bridges are located in four Chinese provinces: Guizhou, Hubei, Yunnan, and Chongqing. The country is developing very quickly in this regard – in 1994, there was only one bridge higher than 122 meters on its territory.
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If you liked this material, be sure to read our article about how the longest suspension bridge at a height of 175 meters was built in Portugal. You need to walk along it, and this test is definitely not for the faint of heart!