New glass-bottomed suspension bridge has opened today at Shiniuzhai Geopark in Hunan, central China
It’s the world’s longest glass-bottomed walkway at 984 foot long and is 590 foot above the canyon below
11 engineers were involved in transforming bridge from a normal wooden one into the new construction.
A group of brave tourists learnt the meaning of vertigo the hard way as they became the first visitors to cross a new 590 foot high glass-bottomed suspension bridge in China.
This spectacular structure, the first of its kind in the world, is situated in the province of Hunan, reported People’s Daily Online.
Images have emerged online showing the visitors gripped with fear and frozen in awe while standing on the see-through walkway. One female tourist is seen clutching to the handrail tightly and had to be dragged along by her friend.
The bridge had previously been a wooden overpass that linked two peaks of Stone Buddha Mountain in Shiniuzhai Geopark but is now a 984 foot long glass walkway.
Part of the bridge had already been replaced with a glass cutout in 2014, attracting hordes of fearless tourists.
However, 11 engineers have been working on the bridge over the last few months to replace all the wooden planks with glass panes, transforming the bridge into the world’s first glass-bottomed suspension bridge.
According to reports, several visitors were so terrified that they could barely move.
Some were seen holding on to each other as well as to the railings as they made the crossing.
Many people were gripped by fear as they tried not to look down to the steep drop below.
The bridge was said to wobble slightly when people walked across it, adding to the fear-factor of the frightening ordeal.
However, as part of the scenic site, it also offered incredible views over the geopark and the landscape below.
The amazing construction has already been dubbed ‘hero bridge’ because of the amount of courage required to cross it.
Those worried about the safety of the bridge can rest easy.
The glass panes forming the footpath are said to be 25 times stronger than regular window glass. They’re also created to stay in shape and withstand impact although special footwear has been issued to visitors.
n recent years, glass-bottomed walkways have become incredibly popular for Chinese thrill-seekers.
More and more tourism sites are constructing viewing platforms over steep vertical drops to attract visitors.
Most recently, a glass elevator opened at a scenic site in Hubei, central China, to allow visitors to reach the peak of the mountain quicker.
The elevator was situated next to a cliff-face and was a staggering 3,543 feet above sea level.
When visitors reach the top, they could walk along a glass-bottomed walk way along the cliff to further admire the views.
Earlier this year, a viewing platform in Chongqing, south-western China, became the world’s longest cantilever walkway with a glass bottom.
It’s a breath-taking 2,356 feet drop to the ground below.
Another bridge is currently under construction in Zhangjiajie, Hunan. It will be an astounding 984 feet above the canyon it’s built over.
The 1,247 foot long bridge will be able to accommodate 800 people at any one time when complete.
