Korea's first two-storey bridge, Banpo-daegyo, does not impress at first sight. The simple concrete structure is not very interesting architecturally, apart from the fact that it has two bridge decks on top of each other.
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What makes Banpo Bridge a tourist attraction comes after dark...
Moonlight Rainbow Fountain
The Banpo Bridge has become one of the many other elements to beautify the banks of the Han River. For 20 minutes every night from April to October, it turns into the world's longest fountain, which is also listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. From one bank to the other, it measures almost 1,140 metres.
More than 10,000 jets are installed on the upper bridge deck, illuminated by LED bulbs of different colours. Water sprays from the bridge deck up to 45 metres from a height of 12 metres, creating an incredible rainbow fountain.
Each water show is accompanied by music from speakers located on both sides of the river.
When is the fountain in operation?
The fountain on the Banpo Bridge is always operational from 1 April to 31 October and each show lasts exactly 20 minutes. Always one during daylight hours and 3 to 5 during darkness.
April-June and September-October
- Working days: 12:00, 20:00, 20:30, 21:00
- Weekends and holidays: 12:00, 7:30, 8:00, 8:30, 9:00 p.m.
July-August
- Weekdays: 12:00, 19:30, 20:00, 20:30, 21:00
- Weekends and holidays: 12:00, 19:30, 20:00, 20:30, 21:00, 21:30
Where is the best view from?
While the northern waterfront is not very accessible, the south bank of the Hangan River has a beautiful pedestrian promenade with floating restaurants and parks. To see the fountains, head here.
The nearest subway station, "Express Bus Terminal", is about 500 meters from the promenade and is crossed by subway lines 3 (orange), 7 (dark green) and 9 (beige).
The 405 and 740 bus lines also run directly over the bridge with a stop just off the promenade.
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