Baodaiqiao (宝 带 桥, "Precious Belt Bridge") is an ancient arched bridge spanning the Great Chinese Canal near the city of Suzhou in Jiangsu Province.
It was first built during the Tang Dynasty in 816, according to legend - with funds donated by a local official from the sale of his precious belt. The current bridge was completed in 1446.
Precious Belt Bridge.
A distinctive feature of the bridge is three raised central spans , through which boats with cargo floated. The bridge has a length of 317 meters with a width of 4.1 m and consists of 53 arched spans.
See also
- Moon bridge
- Anji bridge
- Marco Polo Bridge
Literature
- Needham, Joseph. Science and Civilization in China: Volume 4, Part 3 . Taipei: Caves Books, 1986.