China - Precious Belt Bridge

 

Stamp Issue : 1962-05-15 

Precious Belt Bridge is a Chinese stone arch bridge located near the city of Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China. The Precious Belt Bridge is located at the intersection of the Grand Canal and Dantai Lake, about 2.5 kilometer south east of Suzhou. The first construction of the bridge dates back to the year 816 AD, during the mid Tang Dynasty. The bridge's span is 317 m long and has a width of 4.1 m, with a total of 53 arches in its span. The three central arches are enlarged to allow for the passage of - by historical standards - larger river vessels without masts. The average span of each arch is 4.6 m.