Precious Belt Bridge

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Precious Belt Bridge.
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Precious Belt Bridge.

The Precious Belt Bridge (Chinese: 宝带桥; pinyin: Bǎo Dài Qiáo) is a Tang Dynasty arch bridge located near the city of Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China.

The Precious Belt Bridge is located at the intersection of the Grand Canal and Dantai Lake, about 2.5 kilometer south-east of Suzhou.

The bridge is 317 meters long and 4.1 m wide; it is carried by 53 arches. The three central arches are enlarged to allow for the passage of - by historical standards - larger vessels.

The first construction of the bridge dates back to the year 816. Since then, it has been reconstructed several times.

The bridge's derives its name from a story according to which the local prefect, Wang Zhongshu, selflessly sold his precious belt to help finance its construction.

[edit] See also

The Precious Belt Bridge is not to be confused with the Jade Belt Bridge in Beijing.