Zhongshan Bridge(Yellow River Steel Bridge, Zhongshan Bridge)

Zhongshan Bridge, also known as the Lanzhou Yellow River Iron Bridge, spans the Yellow River with White Pagoda Mountain to its north and serves as a city landmark of Lanzhou. Completed in the late Qing Dynasty, it was built by the German firm Telge & Schroeter. The bridge materials, including steel beams and cement, were shipped from Germany across the ocean and then transported to Lanzhou via railway and horse-drawn carriage. It is one of the earliest permanent bridges built across the Yellow River in Lanzhou's history. It was later renamed Zhongshan Bridge in memory of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, a name that remains in use today. The bridge is over 200m long, and its gray-black steel truss structure is simple and substantial. The several arched steel ribs added above the bridge body during reinforcement in the 1950s give the entire structure a more imposing appearance.

Today, the iron bridge is open only to pedestrians. Walking onto the bridge deck, you can see the Yellow River flowing slowly eastward beneath your feet. On the south bank lies the lush Binhe Road, while the north bank is home to White Pagoda Mountain Park. Climbing to the top of the mountain and looking back, the view of the iron bridge, the Yellow River, and the streetscape on both banks framed together is particularly beautiful. People often line up to take photos in front of the golden "Zhongshan Bridge" inscription at the south end of the bridge. In the pavilion on the east side of the south bridgehead stands a Ming Dynasty "General Pillar," a relic from the earlier Zhenyuan Floating Bridge that is easy to miss if you just walk past.

After nightfall, the iron bridge offers a different scene: the bridge's colorful lights turn on, and the entire outline of the bridge is clearly illuminated. On one side are the bustling lights of Binhe Road, and on the other are the lights shining on the mountain, making it a great place to experience and photograph the night view of Lanzhou.