The splendid Yangtze River is a landmark of Wuhan City. It was the Chinese People's first try to overcome the Yangtze River, connecting the south and the north bank of Yangtze River. Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge is the first double-deck highway-railway bridge over the Yangtze River. The bridge has a total length of 1670 meters. The upper layer is responsible for two-way, four-lane automobile highway transport, the lower layer for double line rails. The bridge has 8 abutments and 9 holes, with a span of 128 meters of each.
The bridge starts from Turtle Hill (Gui Shan) on the northern bank and reaches Sake Hill (She Shan) on the southern bank, making it a main traffic artery in Wuhan. The Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge greatly improved the transportation of Wuhan city and accelerated the connection of northern and southern China.
Why to Build It
Wuhan is located in the central China, the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, and Hanjiang River empties into the Yangtze River here. Thus it enjoys an every important geographical position. In 1906, Beijing-Wuhan Railway opened to traffic, and Wuhan-Guangdong Railway was also under construction. 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. The to built a bridge across Yangtze River and Han River was necessary to connect the Beijing-Wuhan Railway and Wuhan-Guangdong Railway.
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.
The actual construction of building Yangtze River Bridge started on 1st September, 1955. With about two-year work, it was finished on 13th October, 1957. Completed in conjunction with the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge in Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge monuments and viewing platforms, they are snuggling with each other with the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge, Monument 6 meters in height and weighs 20 tons, along the southern Juan had Comrade Mao Zedong, "puts up a bridge north and south of natural moat become thoroughfare". The poem is the viewing platform for visitors to tour the Yangtze River, one of the best positions to see the bridge. It was often referred to as the "First Bridge of the Yangtze".
Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge combines the three districts (Hangkou, Wuchang and Hanyang) as a single entity, which greatly promoted the development of Wuhan. At the same time, the bridge connects main artery in the north and south China. It connects Beijing-Wuhan Railroad and Wuhan-Guangdong Railway, which had been cut by the river for many years. It pushed the promotion of North-South economic development of China, and has played an important role national economic construction.
Travel Guide
【Chinese name】: 武汉长江大桥
【Best time to visit】: March to May and September to early November. It is not recommended to visit neither in summer, very hot, nor in winter, very cold.
【How to get to Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge】: Take Bus Route 11, 18, 25, 43, 514, 539, 542, 554, 566, 572, 573, 578, 607, 717, 804, 916 and get off at Pinghumen Station(平湖门站) or take Bus Route 585, 596, 707 and get off at Wangjiawan Station(王家湾站).
You may walk cross the bridge by foot, but it is not recommended to do so. It takes at least 50 minutes from one end to the other. And the Yellow Crane Tower, Tanhualin Street are just near to the bridge. You may go visit after or before you catch a glance of the bridge.