Broken Bridge

Liaoning


A pile of mangled steel is an unlikely tourist attraction, but this aftermath of the Korean War is a symbolic reminder of a conflict which has shaped the region. There were two bridges crossing the Yalu River near Dandong, but in 1950 American troops ‘accidentally’ bombed the original steel-span bridge between North Korea and China. The North Koreans dismantled the bridge less than halfway across the river, leaving a row of support columns.

You can wander along the remaining section of the shrapnel-scarred bridge and get within a good toss of a ball of the North Korean shoreline and an amusement park largely in disrepair, left behind by history.

The Sino–Korean Friendship Bridge, the official border crossing between China and North Korea, is next to the old one, and trains and trucks rumble across it on a regular basis.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Liaoning attractions

1. Yalu Jiang Park

0.42 MILES

For views of the border, stroll along the narrow riverfront Yalu Jiang Park, which faces the North Korean city of Sinuiju. You can have your photo taken (…

2. Korea Street

0.53 MILES

Dandong may sell Korean culture at the river, but this street is the epicentre of South and North Korean daily life in the city. Local Koreans visit the…

3. Museum to Commemorate US Aggression

1.51 MILES

With everything from statistics to shells, this comprehensive museum offers Chinese and North Korean perspectives on the war with the US-led UN forces …

4. Jinjiang Pagoda

1.51 MILES

The highest point for kilometres, this pagoda sits atop Jǐnjiāng Shān in the park of the same name. The views across to North Korea are unparalleled and…

5. Tiger Mountain Great Wall

9.36 MILES

The Tiger Mountain stretch of the Great Wall, about 20km northeast of Dandong, is an excellent location to get your wall fix, far from the madding crowds…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "china/liaoning/dandong/attractions/broken-bridge/a/poi-sig/1238936/356044",
      "destination": "Liaoning",
      "continent": "Asia",
      "country": "China",
      "region": "Liaoning",
      "position": "superzone"
    }