Just 13 days after the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge opened in 2016 in Hunan, China, it was forced to close. Not because it was faulty but because the number of people far exceeded capacity. Built to hold 800 people safely, daily attendance was expected to be around 8,000. When 80,000 showed up each day after the bridge opened, authorities had to suspend operations to make improvements so they could manage all the visitors.
Designed by Israeli architect Haim Dotan, the bridge was always meant for tourists. Spanning 430 metres across the canyon between two mountain cliffs in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, more than 120 glass panels allow unparalleled views 300 metres straight down. If you’re feeling brave, you can swing underneath the bridge or take the plunge from the world’s highest bungee jump. Management claims that the bridge set 10 world records for design and construction and, at the time it was built, it was the longest glass bridge in the world.
