The World's Most Dangerous Bridges
We're all familiar with bridges. They help us cross over stretches of water, open spaces, and sometimes roads. But building a bridge can be tricky, as you have to plan out proper supports so that it doesn't collapse under too much weight. Today, we are going to have a look at some of the world's most dangerous bridges, whether due to poor design or simply based on their positioning. Don't worry - there are plenty of fall protection posts to keep you safe when crossing!
Taman Negara Canopy Walkway, Malaysia
The longest canopy walkway in the world, the Taman Negara Canopy Walkway hangs at a dizzying 40 metres above the forest ground and reaches out over 530 metres through the Taman Negara reserve, a massive tropical rainforest over 130 million years old. A truly impressive if slightly terrifying view - not one for those with a fear of heights!
Suspension Glass Bridge, China
The Suspension Glass Bridge in Zhangjiajie province in China was built as a tourist attraction and is renowned for its glass floor, giving every user a rocky view of the mountain cliffs below them. The bridge, designed by an Israeli architect, was the tallest and longest bridge in the world at the time of its construction. Only 13 days after the bridge's opening, it was closed due to "overwhelming visitor traffic", having over 1000x the daily visitors that the bridge was built to handle. The bridge did reopen later in the month, and now features provisions for bungie jumping for those of you who are brave enough!
Q'iswa Chaka, Peru
Q'iswa Chaka, literally meaning "rope bridge" in the Inca language, is an ancient rope bridge made of grass which spans the Apurimac River in Peru. Despite there being a modern bridge nearby, local indigenous families renew the bridge annually by preparing grass-ropes for the bridge cables and mats for the decking, then coming together to reconstruct the bridge. When the bridge was first built, this effort would have been mandatory, however modern builders build it voluntarily. The bridge is a tourist attraction and part of Peru's cultural heritage, and so is a fun day out for backpackers or visitors to the South American country,
Longjiang Bridge, Chian
Longjiang Bridge, another Chinese suspension bridge, stands over a 300-metre deep river gorge, and was at the time of building the longest span high bridge on earth, having a tower-to-tower bridge of an incredible 1,196 metres, almost matching the Golden Gate bridge in America. The tallest tower on the bridge measures 167 metres in height, making this bridge an inspiring if somewhat dizzying sight.