Lugou Bridge is built over Yongding River, 15km to Tiananmen of Beijing. As Yongding River was formerly called Lugou River, thus the bridge was given the name. The bridge was built in 1189 and finished in 1192, and it was once destroyed in Qing Dynasty and rebuilt in 1698. The 800-year-old bridge is the largest and oldest multi-arched stone bridge existing in Beijing.

Lugou Bridge is a majestic project designed skillfully in exquisite structure, top of all Chinese ancient bridges. The bridge stretches 266.5m with a 7.5-meter-wide deck. The whole bridge was constructed by granite stone, and there are 11 apertures below with the middle one being the largest. 10 bridge piers were built on the 9-meter-thick layers composed by cobblestones and sands solidly supporting the bridge. The upstream faces of the piers are designed like bows of ships to reduce the impact of floods and ice blocks while the downstream faces are like sterns to release the pressure of streams in the arches. Each pier carries on two arches, and the arches connect one by one to constitute an entirety to resist the weight.

Lugou Bridge is also famous for its delicate carving art. There are altogether 281 baluster shafts on both sides of the deck, and a lotus pedestal is carved on the top of the shafts with a lotus-leaf pier at the bottom. Between each shaft, 279 pieces of fence are embedded on which vessel and cloud patterns are carved. The most amazing design of this bridge is its numerous stone lions of different sizes and styles. The larger stone lions stand on the top of the shafts and several smaller stone lions are hidden on the heads, the front, and the back or under the rows of the larger lions. Such impressive 496 lions would surely daze your eyes. Most of the stone lions are preserved from Ming and Qing dynasties, and a little from Jin and Yuan dynasties. The stone lions of different dynasties make Lugou Bridge a museum of stone carving art through different dynasties.

Four marble pillars are established on both ends of the bridge. Standing 4.65m high, these marble pillars looks harmonious and elegant with the bridge whether you look from the distance or nearby. Two square marble pavilions are set accompanying with the marble pillars on the two ends. Two tablets are separately placed in the pavilions, respectively carved the inscriptions of two emperors of Qing Dynasty.

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