They Carved a 1.2-Kilometer Road on the Edge of a Cliff with Their Bare Hands!
Imagine the world's most dangerous roads; do you think of massive construction machines, dynamite engineers, and million-dollar budgets? This time, we will talk about the construction of an inspiring cliff road where none of these exist, and hammers replace construction machines.
Here it is; the journey of a 23-household village in the untouched Lanying Canyon in the Chongqing region of China, connecting to the world at a height of 1,000 meters on the Lanying Cliff Road.
Canyon Not Even Visible on the Map: Where is Lanying?
We're heading to the Lanying Grand Canyon, hidden deep in China's Chongqing region. It is situated at a full 1,000 meters above sea level and has nearly 90-degree steep rock walls.
The Lanying village, established on the top of these relentless mountains, led a life isolated from the outside world for years. For the inhabitants to reach the city, school, or a hospital, it took a full 6 hours to climb the deadly mountain stairs hanging on the steep cliffs.
This struggle for survival pushed the people to make one of the craziest decisions in history.
No Construction Machinery, Just a Hammer: How Was the World's Most Dangerous Pass Made?
The only solution was to build a road that would pass right through the middle of the steep cliff and connect the village to the world. However, the geography was so steep that it was impossible for any construction machinery to enter the area, nor did the villagers have such a budget.
At this very point, this small village of 23 households (a total of 80 people) who were left to their own fate without government support, decided to carve through the mountain with their own hands. They divided the giant mountain mass into 23 parts and each family began to dig their share of the rock inch by inch.
They only had steel chisels, hammers, hand baskets, and a little dynamite with them. For a full 4 years and 3 months, they carved this rock wall with grit and determination.
Sure, How Many Kilometers is Lanying Cliff Road and What is Its Slope Percentage?
Today, the most dangerous tunnel section of this pass, which has caught the attention of adrenaline junkies, is a full 1.2 kilometers long, entirely carved into rocks by human hands. The width of the road drops below 3 meters in places. In some points, the slope reaches a jaw-dropping steepness of 40%.
On this road, where it is impossible for two vehicles to pass side by side, small windows opened by hand into the rocks both provide light to the tunnel and offer a cliff view that makes your knees shake when you look down.
Now Under the World's Spotlight: Lanying Cliff Road and Lanying Village
The villagers' incredible determination and inspiring struggle completely changed the fate of the village. The deadly 6-hour stair ordeal is now behind, and the villagers can now safely descend within minutes, deliver their agricultural products to the market, and most importantly, get their children to school and their patients to the hospital.
Moreover, this miraculous road managed to attract the attention of the whole world over time. Lanying, which was not even visible on the map in the past, has now become a stopover for extreme driving enthusiasts, backpackers, and photographers. The villagers now make a living not only from farming but also by guiding the visitors to their village and promoting their local culture.
The Lanying Cliff Road Will Hypnotize You Too: 👇
Keşfet ile ziyaret ettiğin tüm kategorileri tek akışta gör!
Test
Gündem
Magazin
Video
Send Comment