Ruyi Bridge: The spectacular wave bridge in China

Its design is so spectacular that many users on the internet initially did not want to believe that the curved bridge actually existed. Today it is one of the biggest visitor magnets in the region south of Shanghai.

Among the many vertiginous constructions in China, there has also been a very special bridge since 2020. This is the Ruyi Bridge, which stretches spectacularly high above a ravine in Zhejiang Province. Its walkway is not straight, but curved, almost wave-shaped. And as if that were not enough, part of its floor is made of glass, allowing those who dare to face the dead a direct view down into the abyss below them. And if you are now wondering one thing when you look at the pictures, rest assured: Yes, this bridge really does exist.

According to the newspaper “Die Presse”, the Ruyi Bridge opened to visitors in September 2020. But they didn’t come at first, and there was a bizarre reason for that. After a video of the bridge went viral on a Chinese network, many users discussed whether it might not be a fake. Even many Chinese people, who are used to crazy buildings, thought the construction was too crazy to actually be real. What followed was an unprecedented rush of visitors.

“I want better railings”

The Ruyi Bridge consists of three wave-shaped parts that span a ravine at a height of 140 meters. With a length of 100 meters, the bridge, which has a partial glass floor, is certainly not for the faint of heart. It was built by the Chinese architect He Yunchang, who is already responsible for numerous other iconic buildings in China. His works include the National Stadium, also known as the “Bird’s Nest”, and the CCTV Tower in Beijing.

Even the bravest seem to be impressed by a walk across the Ruyi Bridge. In November 2020, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield posted a video on the X platform (formerly Twitter) that he captioned simply: “I want better railings.” In November 2020 alone, after the existence of the bridge had been proven beyond doubt, more than 200,000 people stormed the unreal construction. The number of visitors here is now likely to be in the millions.

China is now legendary for such extraordinary and spectacular constructions as the Ruyi Bridge. Among other things, it is home to the highest glass bridge in the world, and three of the four longest suspension bridges on our planet are also located in this huge country. The Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge is also the longest bridge in the world at almost 165 kilometers long.