2023-07-03 14:29:00
A new unusual tourist attraction has appeared in Germany. The 665-meter pedestrian suspension bridge Skywalk Willingen was opened to visitors in early July at the ski resort of Willingen in the Sauerland region of Hesse, according to the news agency dpa. The longest such bridge in Germany and one of the longest in the world stretches between two slopes near the Mühlenkopfschanze ski jump – the venue for the World Cups in ski jumping and combined.
In second place in the list of the longest suspension footbridges in Germany is now the 483-meter Titan RT in the Harz (Saxony-Anhalt), which was completed in 2017. On the third – the 450-meter Blackforestline Todtnau bridge near the Todtnau waterfall in the Black Forest (Baden-Württemberg), put into operation in June 2023.
Suspension footbridges in Germany. Photo gallery
Skywalk Willingen. Figures and facts
The new suspension bridge in Willingen, built by a Swiss construction firm, is designed in the so-called Tibetan style – it does not have any towering components or supports, it is freely stretched over the valley. Total weight – 125 tons. Width – 1.3 meters. The maximum height above the surface is 100 meters. The design is able to withstand wind gusts of a second category hurricane – from 154 to 177 kilometers per hour. Planning, coordination of technical details, safety issues and implementation of the project took more than five years. The cost exceeded four million euros.
According to a press release from the management company, up to 750 people can be on the bridge at the same time. This is controlled automatically. Access will be open all year round during daylight hours – except for days with poor meteorological conditions. The bridge is equipped with sensors to measure wind speed and other parameters.
Ticket price for adults – 11 euros, for children – 8.50 eurosPhoto: picture alliance/dpa
Access with bicycles, prams and pets is prohibited. Technical parameters allow wheelchairs to cross the bridge, but this will only be possible during one-way traffic hours. The management company intends to organize such a special service for people with disabilities in the evening in the future.
Local authorities expect that the new attraction will additionally attract up to 100,000 visitors to the region per year, while the total number of overnight stays in the local hotels could increase by 350,000 annually.
The longest suspension bridges for pedestrians in the world
According to dpa, the world’s longest suspension bridge for pedestrians of its kind is now in the Czech Republic – Sky Bridge 721 opened in 2022. Until recently, the 516 Arouca bridge in Portugal, built in 2020, was in second place.
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