Tianjin, thriving city of rivers
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E-mail China Today, October 13, 2016
Dazzling Array of Bridges
Tianjin is the point of convergence of the Haihe River tributaries. The Haihe River flows through its downtown area and eventually empties into the sea. These waterways have prompted the building of around 100 bridges in Tianjin of different shapes and styles. They delineate Tianjin's unique landscape, endowing the city with a distinct bridge culture.
Pontoon bridges were the first to appear in Tianjin. In earlier times their ceaseless flow of traffic was a constant city spectacle. The city's pontoon bridges, ubiquitous waterways, military fortress, and governmental agencies responsible for salt and taxation management were indeed Tianjin's main landmarks.
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A night view of the Haihe River in Tianjin. |
Tianjin moved into the fast modernization lane in the late 19th century, forced as it was to open to the outside world, and driven by China's Westernization Movement. It was then that construction of a host of bridges in succession took place. In 1887, Dahongqiao, the city's first steel-structure bridge, appeared. It has since been a main landmark, its name given to Tianjin's Hongqiao District. The year 1888 saw completion of Jinhua Bridge, the city's first movable cantilever bridge and China's first movable steel-structure bridge, across the South Grand Canal. Based on the original pontoon bridges, the steel-structure electricity-driven movable Jintang Bridge was completed in 1906. Another movable cantilever construction, the Magbridge nearby Laolongtou Railway Station (now Tianjin Station), which served the city's concessions, was completed in 1926. After several renovations, it was renamed Liberation Bridge.
At the turn of the millennium, Tianjin Municipal Government embarked on a comprehensive project to develop the Haihe River. This entailed much renovation and upgrading, which the city accomplished by inviting several prestigious international companies to design and build a host of distinctive bridges. Consequently, a bridge can be spotted every 0.68 km or so within the city boundaries of the upper Haihe reaches. Their blend of distinct local flavor and traditional cultural elements has made them important cultural symbols of the city. As traffic conditions have greatly improved, scenery along the Haihe River has also been upgraded. These distinctive bridges are Tianjin's most popular tourist attractions.
