Located in the south of Jiangsu Province near the water town of Suzhou, the Precious Belt Bridge is a stone arch bridge over the union of the Grand Canal and Dantai Lake.
The Precious Belt Bridge is just a couple of kilometers southeast of Suzhou, making it easy to get to from elsewhere in China. It was started in 816 during the Tang Dynasty and was reconstructed a number of times, including during the Ming Dynasty. It is 317m long, four meters wide, and boasts 53 arches, including three large central arches.
Tourists can take a bus or walk to the Precious Belt Bridge from Suzhou town center, followed by a guided tour of the bridge.
The Grand Canal itself is on par with the Great Wall. It is a massive feat of engineering, stretching for close to 1,800kms between Hangzhou in the south and Beijing in the north. Its also happens upon the Yangtze and Yellow rivers and much of it is well maintained and still in use today.
Getting There & Away
Suzhou Guangfu International Airport is the most convenient route in for visitors to the Precious Belt Bridge, but there are limited flights to Suzhou from Beijing. Most people come in via Shanghai at Shanghai Pudong International Airport or Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. Hongqiao is the closest to Suzhou and shuttle buses run from the airport in a little over an hour (86kms). Trains and buses also serve from Shanghai.