Sanzhi Sanbanqiao Introduction
Located at the upper reaches of the Datun River in the Sanzi District of New Taipei City, Sanbanqiao (Three-Slab Bridge) spans the Datun River and is constructed in three segments using stone slabs. It is hidden beneath the new "Sande Bridge" and measures approximately 18 meters in length and 1.3 meters in width. During the Qing Dynasty, it served as a vital route for residents of the Jinshan, Shimen, and Sanzhi mountainous areas traveling to Tamsui. With the advancement of transportation, the Taipei County (now New Taipei City) government built the new Sande Bridge in 1933 to facilitate vehicle and pedestrian traffic. According to the "Sande Bridge Construction Chronicle" next to the bridge, the bridge's body is built in three segments with stone slabs, hence the name "Sanbanqiao." The bridge deck can be divided into seven segments, with four segments crossing the valley made up of three stone slabs arranged in a row, the longest measuring about 400 centimeters. The three segments of the deck on the bridge piers are laid horizontally. The column at the bridgehead was originally part of a wooden structure that suffered damage due to flooding, and it was reconstructed as a stone bridge starting in the 14th year of the Tongzhi era, with inscriptions on the bridge column as evidence. The bridge has three piers, which are supported by long stones stacked according to the height of large stones, with each long stone having a cross-sectional dimension of approximately 20x25 centimeters. It also serves as the entrance to the ancient Datun River Trail in Beixinzhuang.
