Scared out of your wits: standing on the world’s largest glass observation deck with shaky legs

By: Little Travel Kid

Every few months, news reports introduce world-record-breaking suspension bridges, skyscrapers, and more, which almost leave me numb. For example, previously reported...Norway’s ultra-high-altitude triangular viewing platform and, closer to home, Taiwan’s Nantou...Rainbow Suspension Bridgeare both as high as a 10-story building！

But this time, I was truly captivated by that UFO-like glass observation platform. With its fully glassed circular base and an overall silver color scheme, the design is full of a sense of fashion, sparking great interest. Just when I thought it was a foreign masterpiece, it turns out it’s located inBeijingat Shilin Gorge. Does that make you want to back out instantly?

This “flying saucer in the sky,” which looks enough to make your legs go weak just in photos, extends 32.8 meters out from the mountain—twice as large as the Canyon Skywalk in Colorado, USA. Its height is equivalent to that of a 133-story building, offering a straight-down view and claiming to be the world’s largest area glass observation deck. The platform consists of a flat surface and walls made up of 254 pieces of crystal glass, using lightweight, high-strength, corrosion-resistant aerospace titanium alloy as the main structural material. It’s also said that the platform glass is composed of three layers of glass with two layers of laminated interlayer, capable of bearing a load of over 700 kilograms per square meter—even concrete trucks can walk on it—hoping to enhance visitor safety.

Although it’s known to be a product of a strong nation, still 15,000 people visit daily to take on the daredevil challenge, doing yoga, lying flat for photos, and other stunts on the platform. Although you can enjoy a 360-degree view of the surrounding rugged peaks and rocks, it’s advised that people with heart conditions or a fear of heights should avoid going.

Practical Information
Address:No. 73, Diaowo Village, Huangsongyu Township, Pinggu District,Beijing Shilin Gorge Scenic Area
Cost: 10 yuan for shoe covers to access the observation deck; admission ticket allows entry, limited to 200 people per session
Transportation: Take bus 918 from Dongzhimen Long-Distance Bus Station to Pinggu Terminal, then transfer to local bus 25 to directly reach Shilin Gorge Scenic Area

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