The Longteng Broken Bridge

The viaduct carried the main west coast railway across the Longteng valley and was built in 1906, tall brick and stone arches designed by the American engineers Theodore Cooper and C.C. Schneider. The earthquake of April 1935 cracked the arches and damaged it beyond repair; a new iron bridge went up 80 metres to the west in 1938, and the old piers were left standing on both sides of the river. The earthquake of 1999 brought down one more pier, and the ruin is now kept as a memorial to both earthquakes. What stands now is a row of red brick towers with broken springing points where the arches sprang, colonised by grass and fig roots, with the newer line visible beyond. A path runs underneath.

What's there

• The southern piers - the tallest surviving section, with the arch springings broken off.
• The northern piers - a second, shorter row on the far side of the river.
• The brickwork - hand-laid arch rings visible where the structure sheared.
• The old mountain line - the abandoned railway alignment on the slope above.

When to go

October to April is drier and cooler; the valley is humid and mosquito-heavy through the summer. The site is open ground with no gate and no closing time, and early morning light on the brick is the best of it. Weekends bring coach parties over from Sanyi, but they stay twenty minutes and move on.

Things to know

There is not much here beyond the piers themselves, and thirty minutes covers it comfortably. Access is fenced in places, so you view the structure from below rather than walking on it. Without a car it is an awkward few kilometres from Sanyi station. The valley around it has been tidied with car parks and snack stalls, which flattens the effect.

Nearby

Sanyi's woodcarving workshops are a short drive back up the hill.