Don’t you dare look down. Unless you have a stomach of steel, which might make your internal organ seem like a stronger structure than the brand new glass bridge that just opened in China. Height fearers, look away — this six-meter wide bridge spans 430 meters, and overlooks a drop of a breathtaking 300 meters straight into a valley. So if you’re looking for an experience that is equal parts stunning and nauseating, you may just need to make the trek to the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon in Hunan Province.
The scenery surrounding the world’s highest and longest glass-bottomed bridge is said to have inspired the setting for the 2009 blockbuster film. And you’ll be able to take in the sights in a truly unique manner — standing suspended in what probably feels like thin air, about a thousand feet above ground.
The bridge was designed by Israeli architect Haim Dotan, and while his portfolio of work is admittedly impressive, none of his previous projects seem quite as ambitious (or terrifying) as this bridge. But this structure won’t just serve as a way to get wobbly-kneed visitors from one cliff to another. Rather, CNN reports, Dotan’s piece de resistance will also soon boast the world’s highest bungee jump, and double as a fashion runway. Because walking in 6-inch heels on solid ground isn’t hard enough.
But as heart-stopping as a trip across this bridge may be, visitors are still lining up in droves to prove their worth. Only 800 people are being allowed on the bridge at a time, and a day’s capacity is capped at 8,000. Visitors are apparently lining up for hours to get their chance to walk, well, on air.
So how secure is the bridge? Supposedly, you’re perfectly safe on the structure, as it’s “paved with 99 panes of three-layered transparent glass,” according to China’s state-run news agency Xinhua. Guess there’s really only one way to find out.
