Houmen Bridge (Wanning Bridge)

Houmen Bridge (Wanning Bridge)

Houmen Bridge (Wanning Bridge) is a protected cultural heritage site of Beijing Municipality.

Houmen Bridge, originally named Wanning Bridge, is located on Beijing’s central axis, north of Di’anmen and south of the Drum Tower. The bridge was first built in 1285 during the Yuan Dynasty under the reign of Emperor Shizu (the 22nd year of the Zhiyuan era), initially as a wooden bridge, which was later replaced by a single-arch stone bridge. Wanning Bridge served as the entrance to Jishuitan (Reservoir) and featured a sluice gate. Canal boats entering Jishuitan had to pass beneath the bridge. Wanning Bridge played a significant role at the time. It was not only an important water channel on the Tonghui River within the Yuan capital, but also became a symbolic site for studying Beijing’s canal transportation history. The current bridge deck is paved with asphalt, with only the side railings remaining, and the river channel has been filled in and built upon.

Location

Di’anmen Outer Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Municipal-Level Protected Cultural Heritage Sites in Beijing