A 500-Year-Old Stone Bridge Still Used by People Today

A stone bridge over 500 years old remains intact in the Jungnangcheon Stream in Seongdong-gu, Seoul. This spot happens to be where the Jungnangcheon and Han River meet, a place where the currents become fierce during the monsoon season. Wooden bridges would be washed away with every major flood, and the initial construction of the stone bridge also stopped midway, unable to withstand the floods. When construction resumed after 55 years, the approach changed. Instead of making the pillars thicker, they were cut into a diamond shape to split the water currents to the sides. Furthermore, out of the four pillars erected horizontally, the middle two were intentionally made lower to concentrate the weight of the deck inwards. It's a bridge that lets the water flow past rather than fighting it.