Several glass buildings have been built pedestrian bridges, arousing great interest among tourists and local residents. They give a delightful sensation when crossing over an abyss and allow the pedestrian to test his courage and bravery.
Glass bridges are a national hobby of the Chinese. Nowhere in the world are there so many such structures as in China. They are very popular, and their number increases exponentially every year.
Today these bridges are trending in China. Their construction is inexpensive, and the effect of the influx of tourists quickly pays for the investment. No less in demand here are glass paths over steep cliffs and observation decks with glass floors.
Glass bridges
1) . It is located at an altitude of about 300 m, has a length of more than 400 m and can simultaneously support up to eight hundred people.
The glass covering of the lower part of the structure was subjected to a huge number of safety tests for pedestrians, incl. for resistance to high and low ambient temperatures, their sudden changes, strong winds, etc.
Because of the glass floor, the bridge looks invisible, and pedestrians have the feeling that they are walking on air, floating in the clouds. But such a trip is not possible for children and people suffering from actophobia - fear of heights. They may have a nervous attack.
2) The second bridge in Hunan Province can be found in Zhangjiajie Park. It is called the Bridge of the Brave. It is about 300 m long and hangs between two hills at an altitude of about 180 m.
Previously, the bridge was made of wood, but gradually the interest of tourists and vacationers in the park began to fade away, and a modern decision was made: to make it of glass. First we conducted an experiment: we covered a small part with glass.
Visitors to the park liked to walk high above the ground in the clouds, then it was decided to make this entire pedestrian promenade bridge glass. Since then it has enjoyed deafening popularity.
Experts are confident that a 6 cm thick glass floor is completely safe and you can jump on it. But few people dare to take such actions. The vast majority of pedestrians move across the bridge with their eyes closed or crawling.
3) "Cracking" glass bridge in China near Mount Taihanshan is located at an altitude of almost 1,200 meters. In fact, the appearance of “cracks” is an attraction or a special effect, a way to once again test pedestrians’ courage.
It is important to note that such a special effect can simply cause a myocardial infarction for an unprepared pedestrian. Local authorities believe that this is just a playful “provocation”, but continue to be criticized among the population.
But in 2015, the special effect glass actually began to crack, so it was removed and repaired. But after the renovation, they installed “cracked” glass, explaining this by the great popularity of the attraction among spectators.
4) A new glass bridge has appeared in southern China, only the most courageous and reckless people will be able to walk along it. It goes around a sheer cliff at an altitude of more than 1,500 meters, called "Writhing Dragon" and leads to Mount Tianmen.
The length of the bridge is more than 100 meters, it is narrow - about 1.5 meters. Walking along it, pedestrians see pictures of the surrounding nature. extraordinary beauty: the valley below and the mountains floating past the clouds.
Glass observation decks and trails
1) Near Beijing there is the famous Shilin Forest. This forest has a platform with a glass floor. It has an area of more than 400 km. m, a height of more than 400 m and gives an excellent overview of Shilin: huge stones mixed with trees.
2) In the south of China, a path more than 250 m long was opened in the mountains in 2015. It is located on the steep side of the mountain, and in order to walk along it, considerable courage is required, which the Chinese love to demonstrate.
3) The Yunduan glass observation deck is located at an altitude of more than 700 m. It was opened in the summer of 2015, extends far into the abyss from the mountain cliff to which it is attached, and offers viewers a magnificent view from above.
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On September 20, 2015, an amazing glass bridge was opened in Zhangjiajie Park in the Chinese province of Hunan. Well, how can I say they opened, the bridge had been there for a long time. But, much like 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
- geographical coordinates 29.046775, 110.481499 (though I’m not sure that 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 approximately 15 km
The new bridge (like the old one) connects the two peaks of Stone Mountain Buddha and is located above the Pingyang Valley. Now the bridge serves not only to cross between the mountains, but is also a local landmark. Moreover, now the functions of the attraction are probably more important than others.
Glass bridge in numbers
- length 300 meters
- height 180 meters
- glass thickness 24 mm
The entire floor of the bridge is made of glass, the strength of which is 25 times higher than usual. The glass is double-layered and 24 mm thick, which makes walking over the abyss absolutely safe.
But the human instinct of self-preservation protests, and the vast majority of visitors have great difficulty forcing themselves to walk across the bridge. It’s extremely scary to walk practically on air, especially at such a height. The transparency of glass creates the illusion of airiness and fragility.
Having overcome your fears and fear of heights, you find yourself in amazing place. Firstly, of course, there are beautiful views of the surrounding area, secondly, hundreds of meters of emptiness underfoot, and thirdly, unforgettable photographs as a keepsake. The feeling of walking through the air here will probably even surpass the feeling of being on the famous Five Fingers site in Austria.
It’s not for nothing that the glass bridge is also called the “hero’s bridge.” It takes remarkable courage to step on it. And to walk all 300 meters of it is generally heroic.
Trembling knees and tingling fingertips are normal. Almost all extreme sports enthusiasts who have visited the glass bridge, and even overcome it, have 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 stubbornly dissuades you, then specially trained people will come to your aid, ready to help you cross the bridge, and, if necessary, they will be able to provide moral and psychological support.
Streams of tourists flocked to this man-made landmark for both incredible photographs and adrenaline.
To prevent herds of travelers from trampling 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 frightened. On October 7, 2015, one of the tourists dropped a metal thermos onto the glass floor of the bridge, and the glass cracked. Those around us suffered a lot of fear, but no one was hurt. Everything ended well.
Glass bridge photo
In the south of China, another creepy glass bridge has opened over a cliff, along which only the bravest and bravest tourists walk along the cliff to the mountainside rugged with caves.
The bridge, called "Writhing Dragon", which leads to Tianmen Mountain, opened to the public on August 1. Length glass path- 100 meters, width - just over one and a half meters. Tourists can see a truly dizzying view of the valley on the other side of the mountain range. The bridge hangs at an altitude of 1500 meters above the ground. This is the third such bridge on the same mountain. More recently, it was an ordinary wooden path.
This mountainous area is very popular among tourists due to its incredible natural scenery, as well as a relatively new attraction - glass bridges.
The photographs show how the first visitors to the opened bridge carefully walk along the mountain, holding on to the wall, some trying not to look down through the transparent floor and over the railings.
The first glass bridge in the national mountains forest park Zhangjiajie opened in November 2011 and has since attracted tourists eager to experience what it's like to walk on the very edge of an abyss. The glass floor was then only 2.5 inches (6 cm) thick, and visitors were visibly nervous when they stepped on it.
Second glass bridge across the canyon in national park opened in May of this year. It reportedly cost approximately $3.5 million to build.
For those who want a more intense sensation, here you can bungee jump into the abyss.
Glass bridges are now a popular trend in China. Usually local authorities perceive them as an opportunity to increase the influx of tourists. These ambitious projects typically involve bridges, bluff paths, or observation decks.
Below are the five most popular glass bottom designs in China.
The observation deck with a glass floor is located on the territory of the famous Shilin stone forest, 70 kilometers from Beijing. Its height is 400 meters above the ground, and its area is 415 square meters. It opened in May 2016.
Glass Bridge 300 meters above the Zhangjiajie Canyon in Hunan Province was scheduled to open in July 2016. Its length is 430 meters, height is about 300 meters.
"Hero's Bridge" lies 180 meters above the ground and is located in Shinyuzhai National Park in Hunan Province. It opened last fall.
The 260-meter-long Yuntai Mountain Trail passes at an altitude of more than 1,000 meters above the ground. It was also opened in September 2015.
Glass Observation deck Yunduan is located at an altitude of more than 700 meters above the ground. It opened in the summer of 2015.
Here is a short video about how tourists manage to walk across such bridges. Spoiler alert: they're a little worried.
Glass bridge in China, which opened in September this year, cracked right under the feet of tourists. Many people who risk walking across a glass bridge at an altitude of several hundred meters, without unnecessary shocks, experience extreme excitement and fear, since the glass under their feet does not seem as strong as it actually is. After the incident, tourists began to panic.
It all happened after one of the tourists dropped a metal thermos with water. The impact caused cracks to appear on the glass. Eyewitnesses of the incident say that a loud sound and unusual vibrations were suddenly heard, after which the glass began to crack under their feet. The tourists who were in this place screamed and ran away from the bridge. It all looked like a scene from some action movie. However, things did not go further than cracks. The bridge did not collapse or collapse, and no people were injured in the incident.
The bridge builders claim that the bridge is very reliable and can withstand a load of 800 kilograms per square meter. In addition, the bridge deck consists of three layers of durable glass, each of which is 24 millimeters thick. When the metal thermos was struck, only one layer was damaged. The bridge is currently closed to visitors while repairs to the damaged section are underway.
The glass bridge in Hunan province has recently become a real landmark. The bridge was built in the Yuntai Mountains. For many, walking across such a bridge seems like a real extreme journey. The glass deck of the bridge creates the feeling of walking on air at a great height.
Video. Longest glass bridge in China
Glass bridge in China photo
The bridge is strong enough, there should be no defects, and can withstand even high temperatures of 60°. Does not waver or wobble in wind speeds of 220 kilometers per hour.
The bridge is treated with care; everyone who wants to walk across it wears 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 entire path - 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 experience 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 their work was well compensated.
You won't believe it, but not so long ago one guide led 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 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 was a lot of discussion online later. To reassure people, the East Taihan County government told the media that these were just special effects. This is a PR stunt to a large number of tourists were visited by such a terrifying attraction.
