A video from China is gaining popularity on the Internet, in which a man walking on a glass bridge falls in panic when cracks begin to crawl on the glass under his feet. Fortunately, nothing happened - the cracks were just an ingenious special effect added to one of the sections of the bridge.
The footage of a glass bridge along Taihangshan Mountain cracking under his feet has captured the attention of Chinese social media, according to Mashable. You can watch how the hero of the video, noticing the cracks, falls on the glass in fear and tries to crawl away.
A non-trick-looking man, presumably a tour guide, leads a group of people.
Suddenly cracks begin to appear under his feet.
The guide falls to the glass with a cry, but cracks continue to creep under his hands. The man, in a panic, tries to crawl away.
The video quickly spread across a large number of Chinese media outlets.
Fortunately, the cracks that frightened the pedestrian were just the result of the work of special panels installed on one of the sections of the bridge located at an altitude of 1,200 meters. The panels respond to pedestrian footsteps by displaying images of crawling cracks and producing a distinctive sound.
The bridge, located along the sheer cliff, offers an impressive view.
The East Taihangshan District Administration issued an official apology, explaining that the cracked glass is just an effect the designers added to "provoke". The administration has no intention of dismantling the pedestrian-intimidating panels and hopes that a good dose of adrenaline will help attract additional tourists.
"The effect is too realistic, really a little scary."
"The cores can get churned here."
The bridge is strong enough, there should be no defects, it is able to withstand even a high temperature of 60 °. Does not hesitate or stagger at a wind speed of 220 kilometers per hour.
The bridge is treated with care, everyone who wants to walk on it, put 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 who accompanies all the way - from one peak to another.
True, the Chinese themselves are already accustomed to such bridges. The very first glass bridge was built on Mount Tianmen. The length of courage is only 61 meters. But when you find out at what height the bridge is located, you will hardly agree to feel all the delights of human creation. The bridge flaunts at an altitude of 1220 meters. There are always enough willing ones, but there are more of those in whom the fear of heights is instilled. Many people are terrified of heights, I wonder what it was like for the builders. Hopefully their work has paid off well.
Believe it or not, not so long ago one guide was leading a tourist group across 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. It is interesting that a happy calm person comes towards him and casts a dull look at the guide. He is not aware of what happened.
In the video you can see what is happening yourself. People were so excited, later there was a lot of zealous discussion on the net. To reassure people, the Taihanshan East District administration told the media that these are just special effects. This is such a PR move in order to a large number of tourists visited such a terrifying attraction.
The mountains of the Ulinshan Range and the town of Zhangjiajie, lost in them, have existed since time immemorial. But only recently, walks in places with surreal landscapes among these mountains have become especially popular with tourists.
In contact with
This was facilitated by fantastic shots of soaring peaks depicting the planet Pandora in J. Cameron's film "Avatar", filmed in these places. Curious sightseers threw a rampart into the Chinese province of Hunan, where, on an area of almost 500 square meters. kilometers, stretched National park Zhangjiajie. But, since the road to the reserve was not easy, the excitement gradually subsided. For the time being.
Grand Canyon Bridge, Zhangjiajie Park, Hunan Province
The second wave of tourist flow began in August 2016. It was then that an extreme attraction opened on the territory of the forest - a glass bridge over the gorge, hovering at a dizzying height above the ground and called the "Grand Canyon".
Parameters of the "Grand Canyon" bridge
Today it is. The parameters of the structure are impressive:
- height above the ground - 300 meters;
- the width of the pedestrian part of the bridge is 6 meters;
- crossing length - 430 meters;
- design capacity - 8000 people per daylight;
- bearing capacity - up to 800 people at the same time;
- construction material: 120 panels of 3-layer heavy-duty glass;
- an additional attraction: the world's highest jumping platform, located under the central span of the bridge at an altitude of almost 270 meters above the ground.
The author of the bridge project
The author of the project is Israeli architect Haim Dotan whose creations are well known in China. Being an adherent of the concept of fusion of architectural objects with nature, he came up with such a unique bridge, which, in his words, is intended to become not just a "bridge for the transition from point A to point B", but a natural scene with the illusion of hovering in the clouds. In the future, on the parade ground, it is planned not only to arrange dance shows, but also to open at its final point an amphitheater with 3000 seats for various kinds of performances.
Bridge safety
The fragility of the structure is, of course, illusory. The bridge has gone through rigorous tests for structural integrity, thermal endurance and wind resistance. Eyewitnesses say that in order to check the safety of the structure, not only a crash test was carried out with it, but a heavy car was also allowed to drive over the glass. The structure did not flinch. And now neither raging hurricanes, nor heavy rainfall, nor even perky dances from several hundred stomping heels will destroy the glass bridge. The photo shows its strength.
But everyone can get their share of adrenaline from the bridge. A crystal path with a transparent bottom attracts daredevils from all over the world for a walk over an abyss in the mountains. Having experienced pleasure hovering over the abyss, tourists rush to other corners of the park, fraught with forest crossings, cable car transfers and descent in a glass elevator from the mountain.
Wriggling Dragon Trail, Zhangjiajie Park, Hunan Province
And, if there is not enough extreme on the glass above the abyss, then the Zhangjiajie reserve will offer crystal lovers one more amusing transition. This time - over the cliff. By the way, it also opened to the public only in August 2016.
Walking along the undulating corridor, tightly adjacent to the Tianmen Rock and repeating all its bends, you can get an unforgettable experience. To some, they will seem like happiness at the edge of the clouds, and to others, the fateful minutes of walking along the edge of the abyss. But no one will remain indifferent.
Bridge Specifications
The technical characteristics of this miracle are much more modest than those of the "Grand Canyon". Although both glass bridges are in the same park, they are the complete opposite of each other. So, the "Wriggling Dragon" has a width of 1.6 meters, the thickness of the glass is 6.5 cm, and the length of the passage is only about 100 meters. In the absence of a flow of people, you can even run these bent meters, if not for one "but". The fact is that the "Dragon" hovers at an altitude of 1430 meters above the ground.
Sensations above the bottomless abyss
When entering the bridge even the most courageous ones get goosebumps and dizziness from the bottomless abyss when looking down. There is no time for running! Somehow I could get there without incident, holding onto the handrails tenaciously. Those who are not scared and walk this not at all long distance with wide open eyes on the bridge will be able to catch in their lenses shots of indescribable beauty, where peaks and gorges alternate with a mysterious haze, and the stone slopes of the cliffs smoothly turn into the green caps of the peaks.
To ensure the safety of the passage, all tourists are given special anti-slip shoe covers, which also act as covers for dirty outdoor shoes. This measure helps to preserve the glass pavement. transparent and clean for a long time.
Bridge of Heroes, Shinyuzhai Park, Hunan Province
The excursion across the glass bridges of China will be continued by another masterpiece of fragile architecture - the Bridge of Heroes, located in the Shinyuzhai National Geological Park in the same Hunan province, 46 km from the city of Pingyang and 112 km northeast of the provincial capital - the city of Changsha.
This is an earlier example of bridge architecture. It was opened to the public in 2015. Old-timers say that this passage through the valley, connecting the two peaks of the mountain, existed earlier, but only in a wooden version. And therefore the nerves of the pedestrians were not particularly tickled. But after the reconstruction, when he was dressed in a dress of crystal, the suspension bridge became the No. 1 attraction in the park. Still would! The parameters are serious:
- length - 300 meters;
- width - 1.5 meters;
- glass thickness - 24 mm;
- height above the ground - 180 meters;
- withstands temperature drops up to 60 о С and wind speed up to 230 km per hour.
Many wanted to test themselves for courage and feel "by touch" the height of the 58-storey building. Only the house is not with reinforced concrete ceilings, but with glass floors from top to bottom! The bridge of brave people - there is no other way to say it!
U-shaped bridge on Yongtai mountain, Henan province
This is another adrenaline trail that is very popular with tourists. Located in Henan province. This is the same province that is famous for its grottoes near the city of Luoyang. But don't confuse it with Hunan, where the other three bridges described above are located.
The U-shaped passage along the contour of the Yuntai Mountain of the Yuntaishan Range is a blood-thrilling attraction. It received its first visitors in September 2015. But not even a month had passed since the opening day when the bridge showed its capricious character. While it was filled to capacity with people, a steel flask belonging to one of the tourists fell onto the glass surface. The floor under the feet of pedestrians instantly cracked. Fortunately, only the first layer of super-strong three-layer glass burst. Everything turned out well, but one can imagine what horror possessed the people, because they were at an altitude of almost 1100 meters.
Since then, the others and this glass bridge over the abyss are not allowed with metal objects, and they ask to take off their high-heeled shoes.
On September 20, 2015, an amazing glass bridge was opened in Zhangjiajie Park, China's Hunan Province. Well, how to say they opened it, the bridge had been there for a long time. But, roughly, as in the case of the Capilano Bridge in Canada, the old wooden and already dilapidated bridge was replaced with a modern glass structure.
Glass bridge on the map
- geographic coordinates 29.046775, 110.481499 (though I'm not sure if the data is correct)
- distance from the capital of China Beijing is about 1330 km
- the distance to the nearest airport Henua in Zhangjiajie is about 15 km
The new bridge (as well as the old one) connects the two peaks of the Stone Mountain Buddha and is located above the Pinyan Valley. Now the bridge serves not only for crossing between the mountains, but is also a local landmark. And now the functions of the attraction are probably more important than the rest.
Glass bridge in numbers
- length 300 meters
- height 180 meters
- glass thickness 24 mm
The entire floor of the bridge is made of glass, which is 25 times more durable than usual. The glass is double-layered and 24 mm thick, which makes a walk over the abyss absolutely safe.
But the human instinct for self-preservation is protesting, and the vast majority of visitors with great difficulty force themselves to walk across the bridge. It is extremely scary to walk practically through the air, and even at such an altitude. The transparency of the glass creates the illusion of airiness and fragility.
Overcoming fears and fear of heights, you find yourself in an amazing place. Firstly, these are of course beautiful views of the surroundings, secondly, hundreds of meters of emptiness underfoot, and thirdly, unforgettable photographs for memory. The feeling of walking through the air here will probably even surpass the feelings of being at the famous Five Fingers site in Austria.
No wonder the glass bridge is also called the "hero's bridge". It takes great courage to step on it. And to walk all 300 meters of it is generally heroic heroism.
Trembling knees and tingling sensations at the tips of the fingers are normal. Almost all extreme sportsmen who have been on the glass bridge, and even those who have overcome it, experienced similar feelings. True, some, not very heroic heroes, conquer the bridge on all fours.
If you still want to cross the bridge, but your brain persistently discourages you, then specially trained people will come to your aid, ready to help you cross the bridge, and, if necessary, will be able to provide moral and psychological support.
Streams of tourists were drawn to this man-made attraction for incredible photos and adrenaline.
So that the herds of travelers do not trample the glass panels of the bridge, they are given shoe covers. And this is correct, because not every cleaning lady will agree to wipe the glass on this bridge. Due to the incredible popularity of the glass bridge, the park administration limited the number of visitors to 10 thousand people per day. Up to 100 people can be on the bridge at the same time. 
There is a known case when visitors to the bridge were seriously scared. On October 7, 2015, one of the tourists dropped a metal thermos on the glass floor of the bridge, and the glass cracked. The people around have endured a lot of fears, but no one was hurt. Everything ended well.
Glass bridge photo
China has many beautiful provinces with national parks and forests, striking picturesque natural landscapes. Rare plants grow here and representatives of the animal world, listed in the Red Book, live. In terms of the number of tourists, China ranks 3rd in the world, and tourism is an important, rapidly developing sector of the country's economy. Moreover, guests come here not only to appreciate and enjoy the beauty, but also to get a lot of new sensations. After all, here are some of the scariest entertainments in the world, namely the largest glass bridges, observation platforms and paths that allow you to walk along the very edge of the abyss.
Chinese attractions
In the southeast of the Middle Kingdom, the province of Hunan is located with the most unusual corners in the world. This is a real pearl of nature - Zhangjiajie National Park, which is both a botanical and a geological reserve. Among the attractions are the high cliffs of Wulingyuan, Tianmen Mountain, Lake Shiyan, the Grand Canyon and, of course, amazing glass structures.
Several glass paths are located almost at the top of Tianmen Mountain. Previously, there was a wooden building here, but the administration national park decided to install transparent panels in some places to tickle the nerves of everyone. The first structure, about 150 cm wide and 6 cm thick, was built at an altitude of 1400 m above sea level back in 2011. At that time, it was the tallest glass bridge in China.
To enhance the sensations, special LCD screens were installed on some panels, which, when stepping on this section of the transparent floor, imitated the destruction of glass, which caused a violent reaction from visitors.
Wriggling dragon
This was the name of the third trail, officially opened here in August 2016. Its length is 100 m, and the only support of the structure is a sheer cliff. Only a low side separates from the abyss, and it seems that if you move you carelessly, you can break off down. Even the caretakers claim that it is common for visitors to overestimate their capabilities. As a result, “daredevils”, having stepped on the structure, are afraid to look down, try to grab onto a rather smooth rock, or simply faint in the middle of the attraction. Only a few people decide to come close to the transparent fence.
Challenge for heroes
In China, another great test of courage was the ambitious 2015 project to boost tourism to the country. This building of reinforced three-layer glass was erected instead of an old dilapidated wooden structure on the territory of an ecological park at an altitude of about 150 m between the islands of Lake Shiyan. For construction, panels were used with a thickness of 3 cm, while each one can withstand a weight of 6 tons. The total length of the glass bridge is 300 m, and the glass spans - 200 m. According to the test results, the structure is reliable and safe. There can be 1,200 visitors at the same time.
Road in the clouds
One of the longest and tallest glass bridges in the world, built at an altitude of about 300 m between mountain cliffs above the Zhangjiajie canyon, set 10 world records at once in September 2016. It is 430 m long and 6 m wide. The structure consists of steel cables, a fence and a floor consisting of 99 5 cm thick slabs. The project was designed by Israeli architect Haim Dotan, and the construction cost $ 3.4 million. At the same time, up to 600 people can stand on a heavy-duty glazed structure, and about 8,000 can visit a day, although there are so many who wish that it is advisable to book a ticket in advance.
The developers have conducted tests for strength, safety and claim that the structure can withstand strong gusts of wind and vibration. At the grand opening, in confirmation of the reliability of the structure, they hit it with sledgehammers, and even a car weighing 2 tons drove by. A platform for bungee-japing will be opened here.
In another Chinese tourist area, in 2015, a large glass platform was opened at an altitude of 1,120 m above sea level, while the depth of the gorge reaches 700 m.The length of the structure is almost 27 m.About 200 visitors can simultaneously admire the scenery from any angle. ...
Although the creators guarantee that the glass structure can withstand up to 800 kg per 1 m², the bridge in the Yongtaishan Mountains still crashed.
Aerial trail
In the Yuntai Mountains, a U-shaped glass trail was opened several years ago at an altitude of over 1,000 m. An unpleasant incident occurred here. One of the tourists, who dropped the steel thermos, caused the glass floor to crack. All visitors were urgently evacuated, so no one was hurt.
Observation deck
In 2016, on the territory of the famous Shilin stone forest, which is considered one of the wonders of the world, a glass structure in the form of an observation deck was located at an altitude of 400 m above the ground. The total area of the building is 415 m², width is about 3 m, and length is about 50 m. Beautiful views of the valley and the opportunity to take a unique selfie attract thousands of thrill-seekers.
Longest glass structure
The engineers did not stop there and at the end of 2017 presented to the world the longest today a glass bridge built between two sheer cliffs at an altitude of 218 m in Hebei province. The structure, 488 m long and 2 m wide, took 1.5 years to build. It consists of 1,077 panels 4 cm thick. The length is 218 m, and the total weight is about 70 tons. Up to 3,000 people can stay here at one time, but so far no more than 500-600 visitors are allowed to visit it. The architects ensure that the structure is resistant to storms (12 points) and earthquakes (6 points). There is a beautiful view from the structure, and when people walk through the center, it sways slightly, causing an unforgettable experience. This is undeniably something breathtaking.
Glass bridges of the world
But not only China is famous for its amazing glass buildings. So, in the very heart of the capital of Great Britain, in the pedestrian part of the famous Tower Bridge, erected in 1894, at a height of 44 meters, glass panels are mounted in the floor sections, through which beautiful panoramas open up.
In the 21st century, the first glazed bridge was built in the Austrian capital. This structure consists of 2x5 m panels and a steel frame. Thanks to the connection with the help of invisible fasteners, the feeling is created that a single structure, transparent from all sides, is floating in the air. Inside there is a restaurant, which is illuminated with blue light in the evening.
In the United States, David Ginopadus and Mark Ross Johnson in northwestern Arizona established the Sky Trail site over one of the deepest canyons in the world. Initially, it was planned to install a simple rectangular path, but as a result, the horseshoe-shaped structure was removed from the edge of the mountain by 20 m. The height under the transparent floor 10 cm thick is more than 1,200 m. The width is about 3 m, and the length of the site is 20 m. Reliable the structure can withstand loads up to 70 tons, wind up to 160 km / h and earthquakes up to 8 points. 120 or more visitors to Sky Walk can enjoy the beauty of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River.
Glass and spectacular lighting are increasingly used in contemporary architectural creations around the world. So, in the UAE, a Formula 1 track was built, and a hotel was erected nearby. The roofs of the two buildings were connected by a glass canopy with built-in diode lamps, and the hulls were connected by a small bridge under which the racing track runs. In Tbilisi, the Bridge of Peace was also erected, faced with glass panels, with a large canopy roof. It has become a prominent landmark in Georgia.
Glass bridges in Moscow
The Soaring Bridge has recently appeared in the capital of Russia. A V-shaped structure with a transparent fence was erected over the Moskva River in Zaryadye Park. Its length is 244 m, the outreach of the cantilever part is 70 m. It rises 15 m above the water. At the same time, up to 4,000 people can stand on the building, which can withstand a load of more than 240 tons. The unique architectural structure is one of the best observation platforms in the capital.
