West Asia’s longest glass suspension bridge with a length of 450 meters is being constructed in the village of Negel, west province of Kordestan, the provincial tourism chief has said.
The suspension bridge is a part of a bigger tourist complex including a zip line, eagle zip line, bungee jumping, and rafting, which is unique in the country, Yaqub Guylian announced on Tuesday.
The complex also includes a restaurant, pergola, amusement park, and eight accommodation units, the official added.
A budget of 500 billion rials (about $12 million at the official exchange rate of 42,000 rials) has been allocated to the project, which aims at attracting more domestic and foreign tourists to the region, he explained.
A suspension bridge made of curved sheets of glass, which is the first of its kind in the world, was inaugurated in Ardebil province, northwest Iran in January 2020.
However, inaugurated in 2015, and with 345 meters long, 3 meters wide, and 80 meters high, the Meshginshahr suspension bridge is said to be the largest of its kind in West Asia.
Last Year Ardebil’s tourism officials announced that the world’s longest suspension bridge with a length of 500 meters is being constructed in the province and is expected to come on stream in June 2021.
The name Kordestan refers to the region’s principal inhabitants. After the Turkish invasion of Iran in the 11th century CE (Seljuq period), the name Kurdistan was applied to the region comprising the northwestern Zagros Mountains. It was during the reign of Abbas I the Great of Iran’s Safavid dynasty (1501–1736) that the Kurds rose to prominence, having been enlisted by Abbas I to help stem the attacks of the marauding Uzbeks from the east in the early 17th century.
Persian
