Hundred Dragons Elevator

In the Wulingyuan region of Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province, China, the Bailong Elevator, also known as the Hundred Dragons Elevator, is a glass elevator carved into the side of a rocky mountain range covered in thousands of sandstone columns that rise up thousands of feet.

The elevator's construction, which is 1,070 feet (330 meters) tall, began in 1999 and was finished in 2002.

Environmental organizations fiercely opposed the project, with the World Heritage Site designation serving as the primary justification. A total of 120 million yuan, or roughly $20 million, was invested in the project.

0123 highest elevator
Bailong Elevator. Photo: Scoopwhoop

The quartz sandstone column that was carefully selected to house the elevator required the construction of tunnels and shafts. The area was already harmed by excessive tourism due to the five million visitors it receives annually, but work continued.

Industrytap claims that after it was finished, this modern design won three Guinness Book of World Records awards! It is the tallest double-deck sightseeing elevator, the tallest full-exposure outdoor elevator, and the fastest passenger traffic elevator in the world with the largest carrying capacity.

There have been a number of setbacks for the project. The project was briefly shut down in response to safety concerns after it was made public in 2002.

The project was completed by a group of numerous suppliers and contractors, the majority of whom were Chinese. In order to provide accurate weighing of the elevators and their passengers, Qinhuangdao Photelectric, for instance, provided the elevator load weighing control system, VIC card management, energy-saving devices, an earthquake detector, and the entrance detectors for the elevators.

A steep sandstone rock formation in the Wulingyuan area can be reached by tourists via an outdoor elevator. The setting served as the inspiration for the Hallelujah Mountains in the film "Avatar." About 40 passengers enter the cage as the glass elevator doors slide to one side; people start talking loudly, and a friendly chaos breaks out.

Everyone aspires to occupy one of the prime locations along the lift's glass walls. The air is thick with excitement and anticipation. A few seconds after the elevator begins to move, it becomes obvious why: A breathtaking view is revealed to the passengers, who gasp in amazement, as the glass cage exits the rock shaft through which it runs for the first 150 meters of the journey.

People's concerns

Many people believed that, from an environmental standpoint, building this elevator in the mountains was a bad idea. The project, according to the authorities, would help protect the world heritage site rather than endanger it, which is why they disagreed. In the area, hotels, guesthouses, and other lodging options have already been destroyed. It will lessen the negative effects on the environment and cut down on travel time. Chinese authorities encouraged its construction despite the intense opposition and asserted that the project's environmental advantages outweighed its negative effects.

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