The Lupu Bridge became the world’s longest steel-arch bridge when it opened in Shanghai in 2003.
Crossing the Huangpu River, the bridge links the districts of Huangpu and Pudong. Its central steel arch spans 550 metres, and the roadway is suspended from the arch by vertical hangers. The arch rises above the river as a prominent part of Shanghai’s skyline.
The bridge was designed for road traffic and also became a viewing attraction, with access to a walkway near the top of the arch. Its name comes from the districts it connects: Luwan, now part of Huangpu, and Pudong.
Lupu Bridge is often confused with Shanghai’s Nanpu and Yangpu bridges, which are cable-stayed structures. It also held its arch-span record only temporarily; later steel-arch bridges exceeded its length, including the Chaotianmen Bridge in Chongqing.