The highest glass bridge in the world located in China is closed on Friday, visitors are not allowed.
Thirteen days after it was opened to the public, the record-breaking glass-bottomed bridge in Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province is not available for visitors wishing to have the experience.
The bridge was made available to the tourists and local residents on August 20.
On Friday, the record-breaking structure hanging over China’s Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon has closed, due to the following a huge influx of tourists during its initial opening.
The six-meter-wide bridge stretches 430 meters over a 300-meter-deep valley between two cliffs in the stunning Zhangjiajie Park, said to have inspired the scenery for the sci-fi movie “Avatar.”
But according to the management committee of the bridge, the site was closed and”an internal system upgrade” would be undertaken during the suspension of business.
The bridge had limited the number of visitors to 8,000 daily, but more than 10,000 people swarmed to the scenic site every day.
The spokesperson from Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon’s marketing and sales department said, “We’re overwhelmed by the volume of visitors”.
He explained that the bridge was the main draw of the canyon, thus so many visitors are getting into the place.
He added that the capacity of the glass bridge was limited to 8,000 visitors per day, but total demand was ten times as much.
In order to get a walk on the bridge, the ticket to visit costs 138 yuan or 21 US Dollars. No belongings are allowed except for wallets or mobile phones with cover. Visitors are not allowed to wear high-heeled shoes, and must cross the bridge without the aid of the railings.
The famous bridge also brought renewed interest to other scenic spots in the area.
When asked if the bridge was cracked or broken, the spokesperson said “there was no problem.” He also confirmed there have been no accidents since the bridge opened to local and foreign tourists.
The management committee said the closure of the bridge was due to software and hardware problems due to the mass flow of visitors.
The committee further added that any changes made as a result of the upgrade will have to pass an official appraisal before the bridge can be reopened.
It didn’t say when it might reopen and and asked apology for the inconvenience caused.