View source for List of bridges in Bhutan

{{Short description|none}}
This is a list of [[bridge]]s and [[viaduct]]s in [[Bhutan]], including those for pedestrians and vehicular traffic.

== Historical and architectural interest bridges ==
Cantilever beams were developed in order to cross increasingly wide streams or rivers, where simple wooden beams had a limited range of about 10 meters. Two arms with timber superimposed are built on either side of the river, above the highest flood-level point, while being weighted to allow an increasingly large cantilevering, and solid wooden beams are then fixed on each end of the arms with wooden pegs. Bridges of this type were very common in mountainous region of India, Nepal and Tibet with an average span of {{convert|20|m|ft}}, but those from Bhutan have the particularity of being more elaborate with stone masonry bridge towers, roofed with wooden shingles above the [[abutment]]s or bridge head structures.<ref>[[#Gerard|Gerard, 1841]], p.35</ref><ref>[[#Deloche|Deloche, 1984]], p.72</ref> The main purpose of these towers was to act as a counterweight to stiffen the structure.<ref name="BBWCBD"/>
[[File:Tamchog Chakzam, Bhutan 01.jpg|thumb|right|A traditional suspension bridge in the foreground and a modern one in the background]]
The use of more layers of wooden beams with more pronounced inclinations permit to achieve greater spans, one of the most significant example is the Wangdue Zam with a span reported from {{convert|112|to|180|ft|m|1}} according to different sources.<ref name="Gerner, 2007, p.60">[[#Gerner|Gerner, 2007]], p.60</ref><ref name="Turner132"/><ref name="bhutanphilately"/> The renovation of the [[Punakha Bridge]] in the city of the [[Punakha|same name]] in 2008 by a Swiss company<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.waltgalmarini.ch/en/portfolio/wooden-bridge-punakha-bhutan/ |title=Reconstruction of wooden bridge in Punakha, Bhutan |website=Waltgalmarini.ch |access-date=December 9, 2022}}</ref> made it possible with this technique to reach a span of {{convert|55|m|ft}}, the largest for this type of bridge in Bhutan.

All these bridges are called ''Bazam'', a word composed of ''Ba'' which means Cattle and ''Zam'' who is the traduction of Bridge in [[Dzongkha]], the national language of Bhutan. This comes from the resemblance of the cantilever beams that sit opposite each other with two noses of cattle.<ref name="Civilengbt"/>

A major innovation was created by [[Thang Tong Gyalpo]] regarding the crossing of large spans, he developed [[iron]] chains working techniques and adapted them to the construction of bridges. By adding [[arsenic]] to the iron (a bit more than 2.8%),<ref>[[#Kalmus|Kalmus, 2015]], p.21</ref> it was easier to work with and had good resistance against rust, some of these chains are still functional today. This made it possible to reach spans to over a hundred meters which had not yet been reached in Europe at this time, the [[Chushul Chakzam]] in Tibet is reported to be {{convert|150|yd|m}} long.<ref name="Gerner, 2007, p.60"/>

After making more than a hundred such bridges in Tibet, Thang Tong Gyalpo came to Bhutan in 1433 where he found big iron ore deposits and locals blacksmiths, many chains forged here were shipped from Bhutan to Tibet.<ref name="Kalmus27"/> He build 8 bridges in the country, oftentime near ore deposits, and some of them were still in use in the 20ht century, the last existing bridges are Tamchog Chakzam, Doksum Chakzam, Dangme Chakzam, and Khoma Chakzam<ref>[[#Gerner|Gerner, 2007]], p.97-98</ref> (Chakzam literally means "iron bridge" in [[standard Tibetan]]).
{{row indexer|
{| class{{=}}"wikitable sortable"
|-
! class{{=}}"unsortable"|
! scope{{=}}col |
! scope{{=}}col |Name
! scope{{=}}col |Dzongkha
! scope{{=}}col width{{=}}"210" |Distinction
! scope{{=}}col |Length
! scope{{=}}col |Type
! scope{{=}}col |Carries<br />''Crosses''
! scope{{=}}col |Opened
! scope{{=}}col |Location
! scope{{=}}col |District
! class{{=}}"unsortable"|Ref.
|-
|[[File:Bridge in Bhutan, Paro Chhu river2.jpg|150px]]||_row_count||[[Tamchog Chakzam]]<br /><small>''rebuilt in 2005''</small>||||Built by [[Thang Tong Gyalpo]]||||<small>{{Sort|S|[[Suspension bridge|Suspension]]<br />[[Chain bridge]], masonry towers}}</small>||{{center|<small>Footbridge<br />''[[Paro Chhu]]''</small>}}||1433||[[Tamchog Lhakhang]]<br /><small>{{Coord|27|19|46.7|N|89|30|16.7|E|type:landmark|display=inline|name=Tamchog Chakzam}}</small>||[[Paro District]]||{{#tag:ref|The Tamchog Chakzam was washed away in a flood in 1969, he still had his iron chains on that date. For the reconstruction in 2005, four chains were recovered from the river and four others were brought from the dismantled Doksum Chakzam in East Bhutan.<ref name="Kalmus27"/>|group=Note}}<br /><ref name="Kalmus27">[[#Kalmus|Kalmus, 2015]], p.27</ref><br /><ref>[[#Gerner|Gerner, 2007]], p.99</ref>
|-
|[[File:Bridge to Punakha Dzong.jpg|150px]]||_row_count||{{Interlanguage link|Punakha Bridge|WD=Q14628931}}<br /><small>''rebuilt in 2008''</small>||{{lang|dz|Puna Mochhu Bazam}}||Span : {{convert|55|m|ft|abbr=on}}<br />[[Punakha Dzong]]||{{convert|73|m|ft|abbr=on}}||<small>{{Sort|CB|[[Covered bridge]]<br />Cantilever wooden beam, 2 masonry towers}}</small>||{{center|<small>Footbridge<br />''[[Mo Chhu]]''</small>}}||1637||[[Punakha]]<br /><small>{{Coord|27|34|59.8|N|89|51|42.4|E|type:landmark|display=inline|name=Punakha Bridge}}</small>||[[Punakha District]]||{{#tag:ref|The rupture and fall of a glacier into a lake in 1958 created a devastating wave that swept the Mo-Chhu River for miles, taking with it the tree trunks that destroyed the cantilever bridge. The west tower, on the side of the dzong, spared was preserved during the restoration of 2006-2008, the other tower was shifted by {{convert|20|m|ft}} (the old bridge had a span of {{convert|35|m|ft}}.<ref name="Nestroy"/>|group=Note}}<br /><ref group=S>{{cite web |url=https://structurae.net/en/structures/punakha-bridge | title=Punakha Bridge}}</ref><br /><ref name="Nestroy">{{cite book |url=http://www.probhutan.com/lib/Info-Bridge_10-05-08_e.pdf |title=The new Cantilever Bridge of Punakha in the Kingdom of Bhutan |last1=Nestroy |first1=Harald N. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211119174652/http://www.probhutan.com/lib/Info-Bridge_10-05-08_e.pdf |archive-date=November 19, 2021 |date=2008 |website=proBhutan.com }}</ref><br /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.probhutan.com/lib/Galmarini_Poster_total.pdf |title=Rekonstruktion einer traditionellen Kragbrücke in Punakha, Bhutan |trans-title=Reconstruction of a traditional cantilever bridge in Punakha, Bhutan |last1=Kübler |first1=Wolfram |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160622201521/http://www.probhutan.com/lib/Galmarini_Poster_total.pdf |archive-date=June 22, 2016 |publisher=WaltGalmarini AG |location=Zürich |date=2007 |language=de |website=proBhutan.com |access-date=December 9, 2022}}</ref>
|-
|[[File:Rinpung Dzong Paro 2007-11-11 CJF.JPG|150px]]||_row_count||[[Nemi Zam]]||||[[Rinpung Dzong]]||{{convert|24|m|ft|abbr=on}}||<small>{{Sort|CB|[[Covered bridge]]<br />Cantilever wooden beam, 2 masonry towers}}</small>||{{center|<small>Footbridge<br />''[[Paro Chhu]]''</small>}}||18th century||[[Paro, Bhutan|Paro]]<br /><small>{{Coord|27|25|29.1|N|89|25|18.7|E|type:landmark|display=inline|name=Nemi Zam}}</small>||[[Paro District]]||<ref group="Note">Also called Paro Dzong Covered Bridge or Nyamai Zam Footbridge.</ref><br /><ref name="Atawalk">{{cite web |url=http://www.atawalk.net/asia/bhutan/bhutan_BT-XX/ |title=Paro Dzongkga, Punakha Dzongkha and Thimphu Dzongkha |website=Atawalk.net |access-date=9 December 2022}}</ref>
|-
|[[File:Wangdue Zam, Samuel Davis, 1783.jpg|150px]]||_row_count||[[Wangdue Zam]]<br /><small>''destroyed in 1968''</small>||||Constructed without using single piece of iron<br />{{section link|Wangdue Phodrang District|Wangdue Phodrang Dzong|nopage=y}}||||<small>{{Sort|CB|[[Covered bridge]]<br />Cantilever wooden beam, 3 masonry towers}}</small>||{{center|<small>Footbridge<br />[[Sankosh River]]</small>}}||18th century||[[Wangdue Phodrang]]<br /><small>{{Coord|27|28|29.1|N|89|53|42.7|E|type:landmark|display=inline|name=Wangdue Zam}}</small>||[[Wangdue Phodrang District]]||{{#tag:ref|Also called Wangdü, Wangdi or Wandipore Bridge, the date of construction is between 1684 and the mid-18th century,<ref name="BBWCBD"/><ref name="bhutanphilately">{{cite web |url=http://bhutanphilately.blogspot.com/2010/07/stamps-on-bridges-of-bhutan.html |title=Stamps On Bridges of Bhutan |website=Bhutanphilately.blogspot.fr |date=8 July 2010 |access-date=9 December 2022}}</ref> its span has been reported from {{convert|112|to|180|ft|m|1}}.<ref name="Turner132"/><ref name="bhutanphilately"/>|group=Note}}<br /><ref name="BBWCBD">{{cite book |url=http://www.probhutan.com/lib/Bhutanese%20Bazams%20or%20Wooden%20Cantilever%20Brid |title=Bhutanese Bazams or Wooden Cantilever Bridges (Text) and their Development (Drawing) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190609041906/http://www.probhutan.com/lib/Bhutanese%20Bazams%20or%20Wooden%20Cantilever%20Bridges.pdf |archive-date=June 9, 2019 |date=2011 |website=proBhutan.com }}</ref><br /><ref name="Turner132">[[#Turner|Turner, 1800]], p.132</ref><br /><ref>[[#Aris|Aris, 1982]], p.108</ref>
|-
|[[File:Scenes from the West - Bhutan.jpg|150px]]||_row_count||[[Dotanang Covered Bridge]]||||||{{convert|46|m|ft|abbr=on}}||<small>{{Sort|CB|[[Covered bridge]]<br />Cantilever wooden beam, 2 masonry towers}}</small>||{{center|<small>Footbridge<br />''[[Raidāk River]]<br />(Wang Chhu)''</small>}}||19th century||[[Dotanang]]<br /><small>{{Coord|27|35|37.0|N|89|37|45.1|E|type:landmark|display=inline|name=Dotanang Covered Bridge}}</small>||[[Thimphu District]]||<ref name="Atawalk"/>
|-
|[[File:Thimphu-Footbridge.JPG|150px]]||_row_count||[[Kuendeyling Baazam]]||||||||<small>{{Sort|CB|[[Covered bridge]]<br />Cantilever wooden beam, 2 masonry towers}}</small>||{{center|<small>Footbridge<br />''[[Raidāk River]]<br />(Wang Chhu)''</small>}}||||[[Thimphu]]<br /><small>{{Coord|27|28|30.4|N|89|38|32.3|E|type:landmark|display=inline|name=Kuendeyling Baazam}}</small>||[[Thimphu District]]||
|-
|[[File:Footbridge near Tashichodzong, Thimphu.jpg|150px]]||_row_count||[[Langjo Bridge]]||||[[Tashichho Dzong]]||||<small>{{Sort|CB|[[Covered bridge]]<br />Cantilever wooden beam, 2 masonry towers}}</small>||{{center|<small>Footbridge<br />''[[Raidāk River]]<br />(Wang Chhu)''</small>}}||||[[Thimphu]]<br /><small>{{Coord|27|29|30.7|N|89|38|09.0|E|type:landmark|display=inline|name=Langjo Bridge}}</small>||[[Thimphu District]]||{{#tag:ref|The bridge was mentioned by [[John Claude White]] during his expedition in Bhutan between 1887 and 1908.<ref>{{cite wikisource |title=Sikhim and Bhutan |chapter=Chapter XIII : My First Mission to Bhutan |last=White |first=John Claude |authorlink=John Claude White |date=1909 |publisher=Edward Arnold |location=London |page=134 |pages= |scan=}}</ref>|group=Note}}<br /><ref name="bhutanphilately"/>
|-
|[[File:Thimpu-54, Wang Chhu.jpg|150px]]||_row_count||[[Changjiji Bridge]]||||||{{convert|29|m|ft|abbr=on}}||<small>{{Sort|CB|[[Covered bridge]]<br />Cantilever wooden beam, 2 masonry towers}}</small>||{{center|<small>Footbridge<br />''[[Raidāk River]]<br />(Wang Chhu)''</small>}}||2007||[[Thimphu]]<br /><small>{{Coord|27|27|22.4|N|89|38|56.2|E|type:landmark|display=inline|name=Changjiji Bridge}}</small>||[[Thimphu District]]||{{#tag:ref|Rebuilt in 2021.<ref name="New Changjiji Bazam opens"/>|group=Note}}<br /><ref name="Civilengbt">{{cite web |url=https://civilengbt.com/reconstruction-of-changjiji-bazam/ |title=Reconstruction of Changjiji Bazam |website=Civilengbt.com |access-date=December 9, 2022}}</ref><br /><ref name="New Changjiji Bazam opens">{{cite news |url=https://kuenselonline.com/new-changjiji-bazam-opens/ |title=New Changjiji Bazam opens |date=May 10, 2021 |work=Kuenselonline.com |access-date=December 9, 2022}}</ref>
|-
|[[File:Punakha 3-76, Buthan.jpg|150px]]||_row_count||{{Interlanguage link|Punakha Suspension Bridge|WD=Q101881859}}||||||||<small>{{Sort|S|[[Suspension bridge|Suspension]]<br />Steel}}</small>||{{center|<small>Footbridge<br />''[[Pho Chhu]]''</small>}}||||[[Punakha]]<br /><small>{{Coord|27|35|20.3|N|89|52|11.8|E|type:landmark|display=inline|name=Punakha Suspension Bridge}}</small>||[[Punakha District]]||<ref group=S>{{cite web |url=https://structurae.net/en/structures/punakha-suspension-bridge | title=Punakha Suspension Bridge}}</ref>

|}
}}

== Major road bridges ==
This table presents the structures with spans greater than {{convert|100|m|ft}} (non-exhaustive list).
{{row indexer|
{| class{{=}}"wikitable sortable"
|-
! class{{=}}"unsortable"|
! scope{{=}}col |
! scope{{=}}col |Name
! scope{{=}}col |Dzongkha
! scope{{=}}col |Span
! scope{{=}}col |Length
! scope{{=}}col width{{=}}"115" |Type
! scope{{=}}col width{{=}}"115" |Carries<br />''Crosses''
! scope{{=}}col |Opened
! scope{{=}}col |Location
! scope{{=}}col |District
! class{{=}}"unsortable"|Ref.
|-
|||_row_count||[[Amochhu Bridge]]||||||{{convert|175|m|ft|abbr=on}}||<small>{{Sort|A|[[Arch bridge|Arch]]<br />Steel through arch}}</small>||{{center|<small>Road bridge<br />''[[Torsa River]]''</small>}}||2018||[[Phuntsholing]]<br /><small>{{Coord|26|53|10.1|N|89|20|06.4|E|type:landmark|display=inline|name=Amochhu Bridge}}</small>||[[Chukha District]]<br />[[Samtse District]]||<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.mowhs.gov.bt/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/1st-qtr_Jul-Sept-2018.pdf |title=Newsletter - Ministry of Works and Human Settlement |date=2018–2019 |volume=1 |issue=1 |work=Mowhs.gov.bt |access-date=December 9, 2022}}</ref><br /><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.bbs.bt/news/?p=99926 |title=Much awaited Amochhu bridge finally inaugurated |date=July 14, 2018 |work=Bbs.bt |access-date=December 9, 2022}}</ref>
|-
|||_row_count||[[Diana Kuephen Bridge ]]||||||{{convert|320|m|ft|abbr=on}}||<small>{{Sort|S|[[Suspension bridge|Suspension]]<br />Steel truss deck, steel pylons}}</small>||{{center|<small>Road bridge<br />Samtse&ndash;Sipsu road<br /></small>}}||2003||[[Samtse]]<br /><small>{{Coord|26|55|37.1|N|89|02|34.1|E|type:landmark|display=inline|name=Diana Kuephen Bridge }}</small>||[[Samtse District]]||<ref>[[#DCSRCKB|Proposal of Detailed Survey on Diana Kuephen zam Bridge]], p.120</ref>
|-
|[[File:Bridges at Panbang 2019-12-13.jpg|150px]]||_row_count||[[Panbang Bridge]]||||||{{convert|152|m|ft|abbr=on}}||<small>{{Sort|A|[[Arch bridge|Arch]]<br />Steel through arch}}</small>||{{center|<small>Road bridge<br />''[[Manas River]]''</small>}}||2013||[[Panbang]]<br /><small>{{Coord|26|51|10.3|N|90|57|41.3|E|type:landmark|display=inline|name=Panbang Bridge}}</small>||[[Zhemgang District]]||<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nenow.in/opinion/bhutan-strict-entry-indians.html |title=Why Bhutan so strict about entry of Indians? |work=Nenow.in |access-date=December 9, 2022}}</ref>

|}
}}

== See also ==
{{GeoGroup}}
* [[Transport in Bhutan]]
* [[Geography of Bhutan]]
* [[List of rivers of Bhutan]]
* [[Architecture of Bhutan]]

== Notes and references ==
* Notes
{{Reflist|group=Note}}
* {{cite web | url=https://structurae.net/en| title=International Database for Civil and Structural Engineering |author=Nicolas Janberg |website=[[Structurae|Structurae.com]]}}
{{Reflist|group=S}}
* Others references
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite book |ref=Aris |url=https://archive.org/details/ViewsOfMedievalBhutanTheDiaryAndDrawingsOfSamuelDavis1783MichaelAris |title=Views of Medieval Bhutan, The Diary and Drawings of Samuel Davis - 1783 |last1=Aris |first1=Michael |author-link1=Michael Aris |publisher=Smithsonian Institution Press |date=1982 |isbn=0-87474-210-2 |location=Washington D.C. }}
* {{cite book |ref=Deloche |title=The Ancient Bridges of India |last1=Deloche |first1=Jean |author-link=Jean Deloche |publisher=Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Scientific Research |location=New Delhi |date=1984 }}
* {{cite book |ref=Gerard |url={{GBurl|id=GZVeAAAAcAAJ}} |title=Account of Koonawur in the Himalaya, Etc. ... |last1=Gerard |first1=Alexander |author-link=Alexander Gerard (explorer) |publisher=James Madden |date=1841 |location=London }}
* {{cite book |ref=Gerner |url=http://www.bhutanstudies.org.bt/publicationFiles/OccasionalPublications/Chakazampa/chakzampa.pdf |title=Thangtong Gyalpo: Architect, Philosopher and Iron Chain Bridge Builder |last1=Gerner |first1=Manfred |translator-first=Gregor |translator-last=Verhufen |publisher=Centre for Bhutan Studies |date=2007 |isbn=978-99936-14-39-5 |website=Bhutanstudies.org.bt }}
* {{cite report |ref=Kalmus |chapter-url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352908621 |title=Journal of Comparative Cultural Studies in Architecture |chapter=Remarks on selected bridges of Thangtong Gyalpo |last1=Kalmus |first1=Marek |date=November 2015 |pages=20–32 |website=[[ResearchGate]] }}
* {{cite book |ref=Stearns |url={{GBurl|id=tqZ9CAAAQBAJ}} |title=King of the Empty Plain: The Tibetan Iron Bridge Builder Tangtong Gyalpo |last1=Stearns |first1=Cyrus |publisher=Shambhala Publications |date=2007 |isbn=978-1-5593-9837-4 |location=Boston }}
* {{cite book |ref=Turner |url={{GBurl|id=tPTVnyOGSxgC}} |title=An Account of an Embassy to the Court of the Teshoo Lama in Tibet: Containing a Narrative of a Journey Through Bootan, and Part of Tibet |last1=Turner |first1=Samuel |author-link=Samuel Turner (diplomat) |publisher=W. Bulmer and Co |date=1800 |location=London }}

== External links ==
{{Sister project links
 | commons           = :Category:Bridges in Bhutan
 |wikt=no |n=no |q=no |s=no |author=no |b=no |v=no
}}
* {{cite web |url=https://www.timbresponts.fr/types_de_ponts/ponts_couverts_dossiers/asie_ponts_couvert.htm |title=Des Ponts couverts en Asie |trans-title=Covered Bridges in Asia |language=fr |website=Timbresponts.fr }}
* {{cite web |url=http://bhutanphilately.blogspot.com/2010/07/stamps-on-bridges-of-bhutan.html |title=Stamps On Bridges of Bhutan |date=July 8, 2010 |website=Bhutanphilately.blogspot.fr }}
* {{cite web |url=https://www.nsb.gov.bt/GIS/map/WANGDI/WANGDUE%20BRIDGES.pdf |title=Bridges Map of Wangdue Phodrang District - scale :1:300 000 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116114529/https://www.nsb.gov.bt/GIS/map/WANGDI/WANGDUE%20BRIDGES.pdf |archive-date=November 16, 2020 |website=Nsb.gov.bt - National Statistics Bureau }}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.nsb.gov.bt/GIS/xl/wangdue/bridge.xls |title=Bridges table of Wangdue Phodrang District |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116114553/http://www.nsb.gov.bt/GIS/xl/wangdue/bridge.xls |archive-date=November 16, 2020 |format=xls |website=Nsb.gov.bt - National Statistics Bureau }}
* {{cite book |url=https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/3091992/good-governance-in-bridge-building-helvetas |title=Good Governance in Bridge Building, Suspension Bridge Programme - Sharing Experiences from Bhutan |last1=Rosenberg |first1=Katrin |publisher=Helvetas Bhutan |date=August 2009 }}
* {{cite report |ref=DCSRCKB |url=https://openjicareport.jica.go.jp/pdf/12183323_01.pdf |title=Data collection survey on road connectivity in the Kingdom of Bhutan |date=September 2014 |website=Openjicareport.jica.go.jp - Japan International Cooperation Agency }}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.en.yokogawa-bridge.co.jp/04_structures/index7.html |title=Arch Bridges - Bhutan |website=Yokogawa-bridge.co.jp}}

{{List of bridges in the world}}
{{Bridge footer}}

[[Category:Lists of bridges by country|Bhutan]]
[[Category:Lists of buildings and structures in Bhutan|Bridges]]
[[Category:Bhutan transport-related lists|Bridges]]