Stretching half a kilometre and hanging 570ft (173m) above Arouca’s Paiva River, a new record-breaking suspension bridge has opened in Portugal with the stunning new attraction created to draw new visitors to the region.
Dubbed the 516 Arouca - named after the nearby town of Arouca and the bridge’s length in metres - the architectural marvel cost €2.3m (US$2.8m, £2m) to build, with the construction process starting in May 2018 and taking around two years to complete.
The bridge, which was inspired by the Inca bridges crossing the valleys of the Andes Mountains, beats the record of Switzerland’s 1,621 foot Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge by about 70 feet.
The structure, designed by Portuguese studio Itecons and constructed by Conduril Engenharia, is made mostly of metal, with mesh trays connected to a series of steel cables running from pillars either side of the cliffs. Visitors brave enough to cross the bridge are rewarded with unobstructed views of the verdant mountains and the rocky gorge below.
Able to host up to 30 people at a time, a bridge crossing is a ticketed experience, costing around €10 per person. There is an age restriction in place, with visitors under the age of six not allowed to cross.
Officials and developers hope the new attraction will entice visitors to the region, as well as attracting new investment and encouraging people to settle down in the area. The development was co-financed by the PROVERE programme, from the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) North 2020.
“Crossing the bridge will certainly be a remarkable and memorable experience”, said Margarida Belém, Arouca’s mayor. “For those who have already done the walkways, the bridge will be an excellent reason to return. Those who have not yet had the opportunity to travel, now have an additional reason to do so.”
Natural heritage
The bridge is located in the Arouca Geopark, a natural destination in the northern region of Portugal known for its heritage sites, hiking trails and white water rafting experiences.
The location is also designated a Unesco Global Geopark - recognising its significant geological characteristics as rock formations in the area, which hold clues to the merging of the Gondwana along with other supercontinents and landmasses to the formation Pangea around 300 million years ago.
Among the heritage sites in the park are Neolithic graves, Roman and medieval ruins, and the Monastery of Arouca, which housed nuns and monks between the 10th and 19th centuries.
The construction of the bridge now connects around 8km of wooden walkways, which run along the banks of the Paiva River.
While claiming to be the world’s longest suspension bridge, the attraction might already have competition, with a bridge in Nepal claiming the title of world’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge. Crossing the Kaligandaki River in Baglung of Gandaki Province, the 567m-long bridge connects Kusma of Parbat with Baglung district. 516 Arouca will hold the title for now however until the claim is officially verified.
The bridge connects a series of wooden walkways which run alongside the Paiva River CREDIT: 516 AROUCA
The 516 Arouca stretches out nearly a third of a mile CREDIT: 516 AROUCA
Stretching half a kilometre and hanging 570ft (173m) above Arouca’s Paiva River, a new record-breaking suspension bridge has opened in Portugal with the stunning new attraction created to draw new visitors to the region.
Dubbed the 516 Arouca - named after the nearby town of Arouca and the bridge’s length in metres - the architectural marvel cost €2.3m (US$2.8m, £2m) to build, with the construction process starting in May 2018 and taking around two years to complete.
The bridge, which was inspired by the Inca bridges crossing the valleys of the Andes Mountains, beats the record of Switzerland’s 1,621 foot Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge by about 70 feet.
The structure, designed by Portuguese studio Itecons and constructed by Conduril Engenharia, is made mostly of metal, with mesh trays connected to a series of steel cables running from pillars either side of the cliffs. Visitors brave enough to cross the bridge are rewarded with unobstructed views of the verdant mountains and the rocky gorge below.
Able to host up to 30 people at a time, a bridge crossing is a ticketed experience, costing around €10 per person. There is an age restriction in place, with visitors under the age of six not allowed to cross.
Officials and developers hope the new attraction will entice visitors to the region, as well as attracting new investment and encouraging people to settle down in the area. The development was co-financed by the PROVERE programme, from the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) North 2020.
“Crossing the bridge will certainly be a remarkable and memorable experience”, said Margarida Belém, Arouca’s mayor. “For those who have already done the walkways, the bridge will be an excellent reason to return. Those who have not yet had the opportunity to travel, now have an additional reason to do so.”
Natural heritage
The bridge is located in the Arouca Geopark, a natural destination in the northern region of Portugal known for its heritage sites, hiking trails and white water rafting experiences.
The location is also designated a Unesco Global Geopark - recognising its significant geological characteristics as rock formations in the area, which hold clues to the merging of the Gondwana along with other supercontinents and landmasses to the formation Pangea around 300 million years ago.
Among the heritage sites in the park are Neolithic graves, Roman and medieval ruins, and the Monastery of Arouca, which housed nuns and monks between the 10th and 19th centuries.
The construction of the bridge now connects around 8km of wooden walkways, which run along the banks of the Paiva River.
While claiming to be the world’s longest suspension bridge, the attraction might already have competition, with a bridge in Nepal claiming the title of world’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge. Crossing the Kaligandaki River in Baglung of Gandaki Province, the 567m-long bridge connects Kusma of Parbat with Baglung district. 516 Arouca will hold the title for now however until the claim is officially verified.
The bridge connects a series of wooden walkways which run alongside the Paiva River CREDIT: 516 AROUCA
The 516 Arouca stretches out nearly a third of a mile CREDIT: 516 AROUCA
