The thought of walking along a five-foot-wide path coiled around the side of a mountain like a python on its prey while suspended 4,600 feet in the air is enough to make many people get a bit wobbly in the knees. But take that same path, and give it a clear glass bottom, and even those who deny a fear of heights may begin to sweat a little.
Well, now you don’t have to just imagine this path, you can experience it. The Coiling Dragon Cliff recently opened on Tianmen Mountain in the southern Chinese province of Hunan and offers tourists a chance to venture along a 100-meter-long, glass-bottomed walkway floating over a 4,600-foot drop.
In addition to surreal views of the surrounding mountainous landscape, the walkway overlooks Tongtian Avenue, a winding, 99-turn road weaving back and forth up the mountain. The new Coiling Dragon Cliff joins Zhangjiajie National Forest Park’s two other skywalks and the longest glass-bottomed bridge (1,410 feet) in the world.
If that still hasn’t satiated your inner daredevil, a cable car that picks people up at a nearby railroad and deposits them at the top of Tianmen Mountain, a ride totaling around 30 minutes from start to finish and one that is said to be the world's longest cable car ride, is also among the mountain's attractions.
Naturally, the first question that pops into most people’s minds with glass-bottomed structures is safety. And in an effort to prove just how safe these glass-bottomed structures are, park authorities deliberately cracked the glass of one of the bridge’s panels and drove a Volvo XC90, which has a curb weight around 4,300 pounds, over it.
They also treated the glass like a "Test Your Strength" carnival game and smashed it with sledgehammers. None of the tests resulted in completely breaking through any of the three layers of glass.
Related Stories
Sponsored | | Nov 19, 2014
Fire resistive, blast-resistant glazing: Where security, safety, and transparency converge
Security, safety and transparency don’t have to be mutually exclusive thanks to new glazing technology designed to support blast and fire-resistant secure buildings. SPONSORED CONTENT
Sponsored | | Oct 19, 2014
Innovation inspires and delivers new fire rated glass and framing products
Innovation is the engine of business success. Whether it’s the development of a brand-new product, a more efficient process or a novel way of serving customers, innovation helps distinguish a company from its competitors. SPONSORED CONTENT
Sponsored | | Oct 16, 2014
Mill Brook Elementary School colors outside the lines with creative fire-rated framing solution
Among the building elements contributing to the success of the elementary school’s public learning areas is a fire-rated stairwell that supports the school’s vision for collaboration. HMFH Architects designed the stairwell to be bright and open, reflecting the playful energy of students. SPONSORED CONTENT
| Oct 13, 2014
SAFTI FIRST introduces the largest fire resistive multilam, fire resistive butt-glazed assemblies, new fire resistive aluminum framing, and fire resistive curved glass make-ups
SAFTI FIRST, leading USA-manufacturer of advanced fire rated glass and framing systems, recently debuted new products at the GlassBuild Show in Las Vegas and the CSI Construct Show in Baltimore.
| Oct 2, 2014
Effective use of building enclosure mock-ups within the commissioning process
Engineers from SSR offer advice and guidelines on implementing building enclosure mockups on any project.
Sponsored | | Sep 4, 2014
Learning by design: Steel curtain wall system blends two school campuses
In this the new facility, middle school and high school classroom wings flank either side of the auditorium and media center. A sleek, glass-and-steel curtain wall joins them together, creating an efficient, shared space. SPONSORED CONTENT
| Sep 3, 2014
Pilkington Profilit with TGP ProColor enhances designs with durable color coating
For design professionals seeking glazing with a durable and colorfast appearance, Technical Glass Products now offers Pilkington Profilit with TGP ProColor. SPONSORED CONTENT
| Aug 25, 2014
Glazing plays key role in reinventing stairway design
Within the architectural community, a movement called "active design" seeks to convert barren and unappealing stairwells originally conceived as emergency contingencies into well-designed architectural focal points. SPONSORED CONTENT
Sponsored | | Aug 16, 2014
Fire-rated framing system makes the grade at Johnson & Wales University Center
The precision engineering of TGP’s Fireframes Aluminum Series creates narrow profiles and crisp sightlines at Johnson & Wales University Center for Physician Assistant Studies
Sponsored | | Aug 8, 2014
Safe and secure: Fire and security glazing solution for Plaquemines Parish Detention Center
When the designers at L. R. Kimball looked for an all-in-one clear, wire-free glazing solution that protects against fire, bullets and forced entry for the new Plaquemines Parish Detention Center, SAFTI FIRST supplied a complete single-source tested and listed assembly that was easy to install and maintenance-free.
