Zhaozhou Bridge and Zhao County

Zhaozhou Bridge, also called Anji Bridge, stands south of Zhaozhou Town in Zhao County, about 50 km southeast of Shijiazhuang in Hebei province, China. Completed around 605 AD in the Sui dynasty, it is the oldest surviving open-spandrel stone arch bridge in the world, and its shallow single arch of roughly 37 metres was far ahead of its time. The structure has been recognised internationally as a landmark of civil engineering. The trip is straightforward: intercity buses leave the Shijiazhuang long-distance station every 20-30 minutes for ¥15-25 and take about an hour, followed by a short local bus or taxi hop to the bridge. A Didi covers the same journey for about ¥130-170 one way, which makes sense for groups. Visitors walk across the bridge and then look at it from the riverbank to appreciate the arch profile and the carved dragons and balustrade panels on its spandrels. The surrounding park includes a stone-carving garden showing reliefs and steles, and pear orchards that fill with blossom in late March and early April, the most photogenic time of year. A relaxed day follows a morning arc: arrive by mid-morning, spend one to two hours at the bridge and garden, and then have lunch in Zhao County town, where Hebei noodle and pear-based snacks are easy to find. The return bus can be caught in early afternoon. The ticket costs about ¥40 and total transport ranges from ¥30 to ¥170 depending on mode. April to October is the usual window, with spring the best for blossom, while midsummer afternoons are hot and exposed. Because the site is small, it combines well with Longxing Temple in Zhengding on a longer day, ideally with a hired car, since the two sites lie in different directions from Shijiazhuang. Walking is minimal and the terrain is flat, which makes this one of the least strenuous day trips in the province.