Haizhu Bridge, the first steel bridge connecting the two banks of the Pearl River in Guangzhou, celebrated its 90th birthday on Feb 15.

Haizhu Bridge was built in 1933, with a total length of 356.67 meters. The main bridge is 182.9 meters long. Its open structure can be separated upwards to facilitate the passage of large ships. It was designed by German engineers, built by American companies, and made of British steel.

Haizhu Bridge in the last century. [Photo/WeChat account: gzhzfb]

After the Lugou Bridge Incident on July 7, 1937, the Japanese army bombed Guangzhou for 14 months in order to occupy the city, and Haizhu Bridge became a key area of Japanese bombing.

On March 25, 1950, reconstruction of Haizhu Bridge began. In just six months, the bridge was restored and opened to traffic. The restored Haizhu Bridge reconnected the southern and northern urban areas of Guangzhou and played an important role in the city's development.

In December 1974, the Haizhu Bridge expansion project began, and the reinforced concrete structure of the bridge was widened by 11 meters on both sides. Then again, from May 1995 to September 1996, Haizhu Bridge was reinforced and repaired.

Haizhu Bridge now. [Photo/WeChat account: gzhzfb]

On Feb 28, 2012, the city started procedures to once again overhaul the 79-year-old bridge. The renovation took 18 months and was the largest bridge repair in the history of Guangzhou.