Zhongshan Iron Bridge

Located at the foot of the White Tower Mountain in the north part of the Binhe Central Road, the Zhongshan Iron Bridge was built in the 33rd (1907) year during the reign of Emperor Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty (1,616 A.D.-1,911 A.D.), which is bestowed with the title of “the First Bridge across the Yellow River”, and it is actually the oldest bridge with a long history in Lanzhou City.

As the transportation hub connecting with the northwest part of China, Lanzhou City plays a very important part in history, and the people in the city have thought of building a bridge across the Yellow River to conquer the obstacle since the Ming Dynasty (1,368- A.D.-1,644 A.D.). The general Dengyu was sent by Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang to built a floating bridge across the Yellow River in the west of Lanzhou City in the 5th year (1,372) during the period of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty(1,368- A.D.-1,644 A.D.), which was called the Zhenyuan Bridge, and the floating Bridge was moved to where it locates now in the 18th year (1,385) in the period of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty(1,368- A.D.-1,644 A.D.), which weighted 10,000 kilograms with 3 “General Posts” that are as long as 5.8 meters (6.3 yards) standing at the end of the bridge. In the 33rd year (1,907) during the reign of Emperor Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty (1,616 A.D.-1,911 A.D.), the central government ordered to build the first large iron-structured bridge across the Yellow River under the request of the inspector of Lanzhou Province, which was built by Tailai Firm from Germany with four Piers and five bridge openings, and the bridge is 233.33 meters (255 yards) long and 7.5 meters (8.2 yards) wide in size with all the building materials imported from abroad. And the whole project cost more than 300,000 taels silver, later, the bridge was renamed “the Zhongshan Bridge” in 1942 in memory of Sun Zhongshan, who was the famous pioneer of the Chinese Revolution during the Republic of China (1,912 A.D.-1,949 A.D.). The Bridge was fully renovated by Lanzhou City government in 1954 with arched steel frameworks and iron floor on the bridge, which is more enduring and magnificent than it was.

Now the river functions as the Walking Bridge, which is the key culture relic under state protection in Lanzhou City. Standing on the top of the bridge, you can watch the sunset reflecting on the water surface, the White Tower reaching into the clouds on the White Tower Mountain in the distance and the Yellow River roaring under the bridge. The historical and tourism functions of the bridge have surpassed its transportation function nowadays, and it becomes a highlight along the Yellow River in Lanzhou City, attracting more than 1,000,000 people to come here for visiting each year.

Getting there:

It is located at the foot of the White Tower Mountain in the north part of the Binhe Central Road, so you can take a bus No. 2, 4, 6, 9, 13, 15, 101 and 102 to get there directly, and it is open to the public all day.