Three Natural Bridges
29°26′02″N 107°48′05″E / 29.433863°N 107.80128°E
The Three Natural Bridges (simplified Chinese: 天生三桥; traditional Chinese: 天生三橋; pinyin: Tiānshēng Sān Qiáo) are a series of natural limestone bridges located in Xiannüshan Town (仙女山镇), Wulong District, Chongqing Municipality, China.[1] They lie within the Wulong Karst National Geology Park, itself a part of the South China Karst-Wulong Karst UNESCO World Heritage Site.[2] In Chinese, the bridges are all named after dragons, namely Tianlong (Chinese: 天龙桥; lit. 'Sky Dragon') Qinglong (青龙桥; 'Azure Dragon') and Heilong (黑龙桥; 'Black Dragon').
Description
Spanning the Yangshui River, a tributary of the Wu River, the bridges are at the centre of a 20 km2 (7.7 sq mi) conservation area which also includes:
- Qinglong Tiankeng (青龙天坑);
- Shenying Tiankeng (神鹰天坑);
- Yangshui River Karst Canyon (羊水河喀斯特峡谷);
- Longshui Gorge (龙水峡地缝);
- Central Shiyuan Tiankeng (中石院天坑);
- Lower Shiyuan Tiankeng (下石院天坑);
- Seventy-two Branch Cave (七十二岔洞);
- Longquan Cave (龙泉洞);
- Immortal Cave (仙人洞);
- Hidden Monkey Stream (猴子坨伏流);
- Hidden Baiguo Stream (白果伏流).
Given that the distance between the upper end of the Tianlong Bridge and the lower end of the Heilong Bridge is only 1,500 m (4,900 ft), these are not the longest natural bridges. However, they are the only such group of karst structures in the world.[citation needed] Between the bridges lie the Qinglong and Shenying tiankengs which have a depth of 276–285 metres and a circumference of 300–522 metres.
Dimensions
| Height | Thickness | Width | Clearance | Span | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tianlong Bridge (天龙桥) | 235 metres (771 ft) | 150 metres (490 ft) | 147 metres (482 ft) | 96 metres (315 ft) | 34 metres (112 ft) |
| Qinglong Bridge (青龙桥) | 281 metres (922 ft) | 168 metres (551 ft) | 124 metres (407 ft) | 103 metres (338 ft) | 31 metres (102 ft) |
| Heilong Bridge (黑龙桥) | 223 metres (732 ft) | 107 metres (351 ft) | 193 metres (633 ft) | 116 metres (381 ft) | 28 metres (92 ft) |
See also
References
- ^ 天生三桥 [The Three Natural Bridges] (in Simplified Chinese). Xinhua. July 25, 2008. Archived from the original on July 20, 2011. Retrieved February 16, 2011.
- ^ "Twenty-two new sites inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List, and one deleted during Committee meeting in Christchurch". UNESCO World Heritage Convention. June 29, 2007. Retrieved February 14, 2011.
External links
