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Wednesday, May 25, 2022

DESIGN OF OUR TIMES / CZECH FOOTBRIDGE SETS RECORD, OPENS

Sky Bridge 721, the world's longest suspension pedestrian bridge, is officially open for thrill-seekers. Lukas Kabon/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images 

GUEST BLOG / By Francesca Street, CNN Travel Writer-
-Walking from one mountain to another, suspended high above the ground with only a vast valley below, isn't for the fainthearted. But thrill-seekers -- and lovers of infrastructure -- will no doubt be flocking to the Dolní Morava vacation resort in the northeast of the Czech Republic to scale the new world's longest suspension footbridge. 

Under construction for the past two years, the 721-meter-long-span (2,365 feet), appropriately named Sky Bridge 721, officially opened on May 13. The walkway promises spectacular views of the cloud-shrouded Jeseníky mountains, and an overall electrifying, albeit slightly terrifying, experience. 

New world's longest suspended footbridge. Lukas Kabon/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images 

Austrian blogger Victoria Fellner told CNN Travel that taking her first step on the bridge gave her a "queasy feeling." But this initial fear subsided as she admired the surrounding landscape. "I was afraid that the suspension bridge would shake a lot, but it wasn't that bad," said Fellner. "The view is really impressive and you can even see the forest below through the trellis! Luckily I'm not afraid of heights." 

Sky Bridge 721, suspended by cables, hangs 95 meters above the valley floor and spans between 1,110 and 1,116 meters above sea level. The bridge can be accessed by cable car and walking across is a one-way deal. Upon exiting the walkway at the other side, visitors can make their way along a paved forest path lined with signs detailing Czech history.  


TIDBITS… The 1.2-meter-wide Sky Bridge is open to children of all ages and heights, but is not suitable for people with pushchairs or wheelchairs. 

Travelers must currently book Sky Bridge 721 tickets ahead of time on the Dolní Morava website, with prices for adults starting at 350 Czech Koruna (around $14.60). 

Dolní Morava, situated on the Czech border with Poland, is a vacation spot that's also home to ski slopes, an alpine roller coaster purporting to be the second longest in Europe, a mountaintop restaurant and an attraction called the Sky Walk -- a curved structure with a wooden walkway and slide located 1,116 meters above sea level. 

The Czech Republic Sky Bridge is 154 meters longer than the current Guinness World Record holder suspension footbridge, the Baglung Parbat Footbridge in Gandaki Province, Nepal. 

Sky Bridge 721 is around 2.5 hours drive from Czech capital city Prague. 

 PREVIOUS RECORD: Baglung Parbat Footbridge in Gandaki Province, Nepal (below).



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