The Shiziguan floating bridgeis located in Hubei, the central-eastern province of People’s Republic of China. You will surely have seen it in some video reel on social networks, while cars pass through it, and perhaps you will have wondered whether it was true or not: well yes, it’s all true. More than a bridge, however, it is a catwalk500 meters long and 4.5 meters wide, which floats on the water and supports the weight of those who cross it (on foot or by means of transport such as the car) without the need for any type of pillar or masonry support.
It was opened to the public on 1 May 2016, it winds along a sinuous path between two steep cliffs following the natural course of the water (about 60 meters deep at this point) and is made up of around thirty modules floating made of steel and foam material. The work, which takes inspiration from the wooden bridges of ancient China, is not only particularly evocative, but also functional, as the flexibility of the route makes it capable of resist stress caused by changes in water levels during floods or rainy seasons.
A structure of this type is necessarily also necessary sustainablesince its creation had a very minimal impact on the environment. Furthermore, the absence of direct interventions on the river bed has made it possible not to alter the morphological balance of the area and the fact that there are no concrete pillars also makes the walkway easily dismantled if necessary.
The floating bridge, which connects two nearby villages, can be crossed standing (can support about 10,000 people at a time) or is passable in machineonly one way given the narrow width of the road. However, it is necessary to scrupulously respect the Speed Limit to avoid creating a motorcycle wavy excessive on the surface of the water, potentially capable of unbalancing pedestrians and cars over the edge.
In fact, there was no shortage of them accidents: In 2023, a minivan toppled over the edge of the walkway after losing traction on the wet surface of the bridge, sadly leading to the deaths of five of the eight passengers on board.
