In our time, it is difficult to surprise the average tourist with fountains. In different parts of the world, you can find a wide variety of creations of brilliant sculptors and engineers, who appear before us either in the form of mythical characters, or quite real historical figures, or in the form of complex engineering schemes. Each of them is unique and evokes the most sincere emotions of delight and inspiration.
But acquaintance with the Korean masterpiece - the Rainbow Fountain Bridge - cannot be compared with anything else. First of all, the delight is caused by the scale of the attraction. Fluid streams under a huge pressure break out of special nozzles and, describing an arc of a huge radius, rush with noise directly into the reservoir located under the bridge. Koreans are proud of their creations and enjoy spending time in the company of a never-ending water show.
Record holder
There is nothing like it in the world. From reliable sources, one can be sure that the bridge, unique in design and beauty, is one of a kind. The total length of the complex structure is 1140 meters. This is exactly the distance between the banks of the Hangang River in this place.
The real name of this place is Panpo, which means "rainbow" in the local dialect. The main feature of the architectural masterpiece is that the water does not hit upward, but to the sides of the structure. This is what distinguishes the bridge from most of its kind, making it unique in its own way and attractive to tourists from all over the world.
Going to Seoul, remember that the fountain does not work all the time. The water supply is activated every 20 minutes, although it may differ depending on the weather conditions. Another kind of record is the colossal volume of water pumped through the pipes. Just think: in just a minute of work, more than 190 tons of liquid are thrown into the river!
Design and features
The bridge has not only aesthetic, but also practical significance. In addition to the architectural heritage, it is a real motor road with several lanes. On both sides are several powerful pumps, each of which is required to supply water to ten cannons. The power of the pumps is so great that it allows you to create pressure, with the help of which the water reaches a distance of 810 meters! The intake of liquid comes from the river, thereby forming a vicious circle of circulation.
Of course, the water in the river is not perfectly clean. Therefore, to protect the structure from clogging and premature failure of all equipment, a complex filter system is provided.
Interesting: when the bridge was opened in 2009, the local authorities emphasized that they are sensitive to the environment, and the environmental issue is one of the key ones, and will always be in priority. Today, the longest cascade of fountains in the world has become a real decoration of the main city of South Korea. By the way, the ingenious construction took pride of place in the Guinness Book of Records.
Depending on the time of day, the water cannon design looks different. If during the day it is an impressive in size cascade of water "branches", which in many ways resemble the hanging branches of a willow, then at night tourists will be amazed by the first-class light show. Water jets turn into a bright combination of colors, shimmer with all the lights of the rainbow, and whole stage images appear in front of the audience, for which a blanket of water serves as a canvas.
This is where it comes to mind why the bridge has such an unusual name. Special spotlights paint the structure and the streams of liquid rushing to the side and down in all the colors of the rainbow. And each color means something to Koreans.
There is a beautiful park next to the structure, which has many places for picnics and romantic dates, and offers an amazing view of the masterpiece of Korean architecture. Cultural and entertainment events are also held here, for which a special stage has been created. On holidays, the park and the fountains are always crowded, and local artists perform on the stage.
How to get there?
Even if this is your first time in Seoul, finding the fountain will not be difficult. Any local resident and even a tourist will tell you the way. The easiest way to get to the attraction is by metro. We advise you to look for stations with numbers 338, 734 and 923. There are also numerous taxis available.
If you are in the city as part of an excursion program, then you don't even have to worry - they will definitely take you to the main local attraction! The entrance is absolutely free.
You can also enjoy the colorful waterfall during a river boat trip. And one more nuance: on Monday, the fountain turns on less often than usual, so do not be surprised if you have to wait several hours while waiting for the show.
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