Jinhu Bridge

Jinhu Bridge

Jinhu Bridge is a cultural relic protection unit of Nanjing.

Jinhu Bridge is located on the Guanxi River to the southwest of the county town. Originally known as Gantang Ferry, a wooden bridge was built here in the 20th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1541), which was later reconstructed into a seven-arch stone bridge in the 6th year of the Longqing reign (1572). Initially named “Yongji” (Eternal Relief), it was later renamed “Jinhu” (Embracing the Lake). The bridge runs from north to south, with a total length of 77.7 meters, a clear span of 56.5 meters, a width of 7.3 meters, and an elevation of 14.1 meters. Stone railings 0.94 meters high are installed on both sides of the bridge, featuring 21 pairs of lotus-shaped balusters spaced at intervals, each standing 1.4 meters tall. The tops of the middle two pairs of balusters are adorned with intricately carved stone lions, which are exquisitely detailed and lifelike. The ends of the bridge deck are paved with rectangular stone slabs forming 13 steps, presenting a neat and majestic appearance. The central arch is 9.7 meters wide, and the secondary arch is 8 meters wide. The central and secondary arches were constructed using the longitudinal bonding method, while the third and fourth arches were built using the longitudinal bonding with segmented and parallel courses technique. In 1993, due to the bridge’s elevation being inadequate for the needs of water transport development and flood discharge during the flood season, the middle three arches were merged into one, converting the bridge into a five-arch pedestrian bridge with a height of 19.1 meters. In 1992, it was listed as a cultural relic protection unit of Nanjing.