The world's tallest bridge that's just opened and cost an incredible £219m to build

The world's tallest bridge has officially opened to traffic and it's a whopping 2,050 feet, which is twice as big as the Shard in London. The bridge is located above the Beipan River in the Guizhou province of China and local officials have said that it will slash travel times from two hours to just two minutes.

The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge was inaugurated on September 28 and took three years to build. The bridge connects the towns of Liuzhi and Anlong and the counties of Guanling and Zhenfeng above the Beipan River. The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge has also been named the longest bridge in a mountainous region in the world. However, the structure is expected to serve as far more than just a bridge or transit route.

The bridge has a 207-meter sightseeing elevator, a cafe 2,600 feet above the river, and 1,900-foot-high glass walkway. People can also try bungee jumping at the bridge and even skydiving over the canyon.

Weighing in at an incredible 22,000 tons, which is roughly the same as three Eiffel Towers, the steel truss suspension bridge is a true marvel of engineering.

The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge was built at a cost of 2.1 billion yuan, which equates to approximately £219 million.

Construction officially began on January 18, 2022, and took around three and a half years to complete. The bridge features a hybrid suspension design, strengthened by a 22,000-tonne steel truss system and is supported by two towering pillars, one rising to 262 metres and the other to 205 metres in height.

To ensure it met safety standards, engineers carried out a five-day testing phase in August.

As part of the process, 96 trucks were strategically positioned across the bridge to evaluate its structural strength. This marked the final safety check before the bridge was officially cleared for public use.

The bridge sits in one of China's most geologically challenging areas, built between steep canyon cliffs. Engineers had to account for powerful valley winds and temperature shifts throughout the year.

To tackle these conditions, the structure was designed with advanced wind-resistant engineering, materials that adapt to thermal expansion, and integrated monitoring systems to safeguard its stability over time.