Renovation helps old Beijing bridge shed weight

With the removal of the water pipes and telecommunications cables that ran along its sides completed, Beijing's Wanning Bridge, which is over 700 years old, has been restored to its original glory.

The oldest bridge along Beijing's Central Axis, the 7.8-km-long backbone of the ancient capital, Wanning spans the Yu River section of the Grand Canal and has played a significant role in north-south transportation since it was built during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).

As Beijing developed, however, additions such as utility pipelines and fences were made to the ancient bridge over time.