Portugal has a new entry in what seems to be the competition of the millenium to build the longest, scariest pedestrian bridge in the world, with the opening last weekend of a new entrant.
The 1692-foot or 516-metre bridge, named Arouca 516 after its hometown and length, spans the valley of the Pavia River, 176 meters below. Construction took three years; its purpose is wholly touristic, designed to attract visitors who will pay €10 for the privilege of looking down and trying not to be dizzy.
Competition among these bridges is fought out on a number of fronts. This one's claim is on length; it is 71 feet longer than the Charles Kuonen Bridge in Switzerland. China's recent entrant in the race, the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, is significantly shorter, but it has a glass-bottomed walkway and an 853-foot drop to the bottom—complete with an opportunity to bungee-jump from the bridge.
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