Banpo Bridge – Seoul – South Korea
As the technology and engineering mechanisms are soaring newer heights, the evidence is being made visible with the help of numerous path breaking structures across the world. One such wonder is the water fountain bridge on the river Han, in South Korea, flowing through the downtown of Seoul. The Banpo Bridge has made its place in the Guinness Book of World Records in the year 2008 by acquiring the title of the longest bridge fountain.
Architectural Wonder
Completed in the year 1982, as a girder bridge, the first reason for which the Banpo Bridge becomes a tourist attraction is that it is built above the Jamsu Bridge which makes it a double tiered structure. As the lower bridge is more prone to get submerged under water when the river level rises during times of heavy rainfall, it is the Banpo Bridge which mainly aids the flow of traffic between the Seocho and the Yongsan districts of Seoul, South Korea. The next and the most crucial factor which now makes it a must see for the tourists is the shooting of the 190 tons of water from either side of the 1 kilometre long bridge with the help of 380 nozzles. This feature was planned in 2007 as a part of the Hangang Renaissance Project with the intention of making the Hangang park a popular tourist destination and it has rightly met the objective.
The beauty of the bridge is enhanced by the Banpo water fountain which reaches a new level of beauty during the evening and night times when the 10,000 LEDs start glowing and emitting the colours of a rainbow. Such colour effects make it a treat for the eyes of the tourists visiting Seoul.
Planning Wonder
While the Banpo Bridge draws huge flow of tourists to South Korea, it also works as a motif of highlighting the eco friendly actions of the country which is proudly presented to the entire world. The eco friendly nature of the Banpo Bridge is established from the fact that the water used for the fountain is used from the river Han with the help of 38 water pumps and as it again goes back to the river, the recycling process continues.
Showcasing its spectacle for the tourists from the month of April to October every year, the timing of the fountain bridge keeps changing across the months.
An already magnetic destination for the tourists across the globe, the Banpo Bridge of Seoul, South Korea is not only an instance of the technological and architectural wonders of the world but, also signify the fact that behind all these global advancements there are deep routed thoughts of conserving the slowly depleting environment and its resources and making the entire world a better place to live.