Suspended high above the Capilano river in Northern Vancouver sits the Capilano Suspension Bridge. It stretches 460 feet and sits 230 feet above the water. The bridge gets around 800,000 visitors a year and that’s not surprising given the area. Visitors are gifted with a view of towering evergreens and cedar-scented rainforest air.
It was built originally in 1889 by George Grant MacKay, a Scottish civil engineer. It was sold twice and bought ultimately by Henri Auveneau who renovated the whole bridge in the mid -the 1950s. Fun fact- The bridge has been used as a setting in episodes of several T.V. series, including MacGyver, Sliders, The Crow: Stairway to Heaven, and Psych.
Q’eswachaka Bridge, Peru
This bridge was constructed out of woven grass. There is no need to question its reliability as it has withstood the test of time over the last 500 years when it was first built by the Incas.
The bridge required a lot of work from a big team of people. Women first needed to braid small thin ropes which men then used to braid large support cables. The Keshwa Chaca Bridge is the last known structure from Incan engineering. We are impressed at how much it has held out throughout the years.
Longjiang Suspension Bridge, China
Also called the Long River Bridge, the Longjiang Suspension Bridge is situated outside of Baoshan, Yunnan, China. It connects the cities of Baoshan and Tengchong in west Yunnan and is the tallest and highest suspension bridge in Asia. The construction of the bridge was very intricate and it was completed in 2016 after 5 years.
It stretches over 3,900 feet and suspends 920 feet above the Long River down below. It is one of the longest bridges in the world as well as the tallest. Before its construction, locals had to take an 8.4-mile detour to get from Baishan to Tengchong. Talk about inconvenience!
Ai Petri Bridge, Ukraine
With spectacular views all around, the Ai Petri Bridge which sits high up in the mountains of Ukraine crosses over a canyon that is 4,200 feet deep. It serves as a connection between two peaks of the Crimean Mountains.
The bridge gets a lot of wind and fog due to the area it sits in. Even on a calm day, visitors should be careful because the bridge still tends to shake as they cross over the gigantic canyon.
Suspension Glass Bridge, China
Located in the Shiniuzhai National Geological Park of China, this glass bridge stretches 1,410 feet between two mountains. The bridge was constructed in 2015 and cost $3.4 million to build. The bridge was designed by Israeli architect Haim Dotan and has set world records for its architecture and construction.
Following the bridge’s opening, it had to be temporarily closed because it had 10 times the amount of allotted 8,000 visitors per day. Glass bridges have been all the rage in China due to the photo opportunities they provide. The bridge is absolutely stunning but the 984-foot drop will definitely make your stomach drop if you look through the glass bottom.