Guoliang Tunnel
The Guoliang Tunnel is carved along the side of and through a mountain in China. The tunnel is located in the Taihang Mountains which are situated in the Henan Province of China. Photos of the road are often misidentified as photos of the "Road of Death" in Bolivia.[1]
Before the tunnel was constructed, access to the nearby Guoliang village was limited to a difficult path carved into the mountainside. The village is nestled in a valley surrounded by towering mountains cut off from civilization. In 1972 a group of villagers led by Shen Mingxin decided to carve a road into the side of the mountain. They raised money to purchase hammers and steel tools. Thirteen villagers began the project. The tunnel is 1.2 kilometres (0.75 mi) long, 5 metres (16 ft) tall and 4 metres (13 ft) wide. Some of the villagers died in accidents during construction. On 1 May 1977 the tunnel was opened to traffic.[citation needed] The creation of the tunnel was a major leap forward for the villagers, as it became a tourist attraction when China opened its borders for tourists. Several hotels have been built to accommodate all these people.
References
- ^ The Guoliang Tunnel in China, often[citation needed] mistaken as a section of the Yungas Road