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Arouca 516: World's longest pedestrian bridge opens in Portugal

worlds-longest-pedestrian-bridge-opensImage source, Reuters

Whoa - whatever you do don't look down!

This is the world's longest pedestrian suspension bridge - it is 516 metres long and hangs 175 metres up above the river Paiva in the Arouca Geopark in Portugal.

Before it was officially opened to the public, residents from the nearby town, Arouca, were given the chance to walk across it.

It's hoped the bridge will bring in lots of tourists to the area - but they'd have to be pretty brave!.

Image source, Reuters
Image caption,

The bridge spans 516 metres in the Arouca Geopark in northern Portugal

The first person to walk over the bridge was Hugo Xavier.

He said: "I was a little afraid, but it was so worth it," a relieved Xavier said on the other side. "It was extraordinary, a unique experience, an adrenaline rush."

Image source, Reuters
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People from nearby towns were able to take some of the first strolls across the bridge before it was officially opened

Others said they didn't look down, but would recommend the experience of being up there to anybody who asked.

The bridge itself has taken two years to build and the town's mayor has called it a breath of fresh air and a fundamental attraction for tourists.

Image source, Reuters
Image caption,

Some walkers enjoyed the experience of being 175 metres in the air, a little more than others, quick look up not down!

The bridge has been named "Arouca 516" and it crosses the Paiva River gorge.

The gorge already has some wooden walkways that are about 5 miles long.

Arouca 516 breaks the record for the longest pedestrian suspension bridge.

The previous winner was the Bridge at Randa, in the Swiss Alps which held the record from 2017.

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

That's one long bridge! Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge opened in 2011 and is the world's longest bridge

The worlds longest ever bridge is the Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge in China.

It is 102 miles long.

It runs between Shanghai and Nanjing and carries the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway across the Yangtze River delta.