“Morning moon over Lugou”. These are the words Emperor Qianlong used to describe this place. Welcome to the Marco Polo Bridge. This bridge has stood for centuries. It has seen emperors, travelers, and soldiers. The Marco Polo Bridge also goes by another name. It is also known as the Lugou Bridge.
Have you noticed the stone lions? Hundreds of them line both sides of the bridge. Each one is unique. Some are hiding smaller lions. People have tried to count them. The numbers vary. They range from 482 to 501. Originally there were 627 lions. They date from different dynasties. The Ming and Qing dynasties are most common. Some are even from the Yuan dynasty. The Jin dynasty lions are the rarest.
The Marco Polo Bridge is more than just a pretty bridge. It is an architectural masterpiece. It is made of granite. A large central arch is flanked by ten smaller ones. Triangular iron pillars protect the piers. These prevent damage from floods and ice.
The bridge is 266.5 meters long. It is 9.3 meters wide. Ten piers support its eleven arches. The Marco Polo Bridge spans the Yongding River. This river is a major tributary of the Hai River. Sometimes the river is dry now. The water has been diverted.
Marco Polo praised this bridge in the 13th century. He said it had few equals in the world. This made it famous in Europe. The bridge became known as the Marco Polo Bridge.
The Marco Polo Bridge Incident happened here. It marked the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War. This makes the bridge a significant place in history. The Wanping Fortress stands at the bridge’s east end. It is a historic 17th-century fortress. The Museum of the War of Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression is inside.
The original bridge was built in 1189. It was finished in 1192. The Kangxi Emperor of the Qing dynasty rebuilt it in 1698. The bridge was decked in asphalt after 1949. It carried motor vehicle traffic.
A new bridge was built in 1971. This was to ease traffic. It is located 1 km to the south. Another new bridge was built in 1985. This carries the Jingshi Expressway. The old Marco Polo Bridge was then closed to motor vehicles. The asphalt was removed in 1986.
The Marco Polo Bridge is a key national cultural relic. It is also a patriotic education base. The Lugou Bridge area is a crucial transportation hub. It has witnessed many battles. It also connected the Great Wall to the rest of the country. For over 800 years, this has been a well-known scenic spot in Beijing.