Yangtze River Bridge-----"First Bridge of the Yangtze"

The Wuhan Yangtze Great Bridge, commonly known as Wuhan First Yangtze Bridge, is a double-deck road and rail bridge across the Yangtze River in Wuhan, in Central China. On the mighty Yangtze with a length of 6,300 kilometers (3,915 miles), there was no bridge for thousands of years. This river seemed an obstacle set by nature, separating Hanyang, Hankou and Wuchang, namely the three towns of Wuhan. Moreover, it blocked the transportation between the north and the south China. Only ship can be used. However, the natural obstacle became accessible for various vehicles due to the finish of the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge in 1957.                                                          

The bridge extends 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) from Turtle Hill in Hanyang, on the northern bank of the Yangtze, to Snake Hill in Wuchang, on the southern bank of the Yangtze. Plans for the bridge's construction were first made in 1910. A total of four exploratory surveys were made between 1913 and 1948 to identify a suitable site, but economic limitations and the combination of World War II and the Chinese Civil War prevented the bridge's building until the 1950s. Actual construction began in September 1955 and was completed in October 1957.

Extending from Tortoise Hill (Gui Shan) in Hanyang to Snake Hill (She Shan) in Wuchang, the bridge has not only improved the transportation in Wuhan City, but also enhanced the communication between the north and the south of the river. To fully view the splendid bridge and the marvelous river, you can climb up the 7-story tower at either end of the bridge by elevator or staircases. The attached buildings and decorations are harmonious and exquisite, reflecting rich Chinese architectural features. The theme of sculptures on the 143 panes along each side of the bridge is from some Chinese folk stories such as the peacock showing its fine feathers, carp playing among lotus, a magpie singing on blossom tree.

At each end of the bridge, there is a tower of 35 meters, installed with a lift. The towers are constructed in a quintessentially Chinese fashion, exuding exquisite balance and harmony. The tower buildings as well as the 143 panes along each side of the bridge are decorated in traditional Chinese folkloric themes, such as the strutting peacock showing off its fine feathers, the blissful carp cavorting among lotus plants or the magpie singing at full throat on the branch of a plum tree in blossom.

 

From the bridge, you can see the rolling water run to the east with ships coming and going; on the bank, Hubei TV Tower stands tall on Tortoise Hill (Gui Shan) in Hanyang, while the first tower in southern China, the Yellow Crane Tower (Huang He Lou), stands on Snake Hill (She Shan) in Wuchang.

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