Sanzhi Sanbanqiao Introduction
Located upstream of the Datun River in the Sanzi District of New Taipei City, the Sanban Bridge spans the Datun River and is constructed in three segments using stone slabs. It is hidden beneath the new "Sandu Bridge" and is approximately 18 meters long and 1.3 meters wide. In the Qing Dynasty, it served as an essential route for residents from the Jinshan, Shimen, and Sanzhi mountainous areas to Tamsui. Due to the development of transportation, the Taipei County (now New Taipei City) government built the new "Sandu Bridge" in 1933 to facilitate vehicle and pedestrian traffic. According to the inscription beside the bridge, the structure of the Sanban Bridge is divided into three segments, which is why it is named "Sanban Bridge." The surface of the Sanban Bridge can be divided into seven sections, with four segments crossing the gorge made up of three stone slabs arranged in length, the longest measuring about 400 centimeters. The three segments of the bridge supported by the piers are laid horizontally. The columns at the bridgehead were originally part of a wooden bridge that was damaged by floods, leading to its reconstruction into a stone bridge during the 14th year of the Tongzhi era, as documented on the bridgehead column. There are three piers in total, supporting the bridge deck with long stones stacked according to the height of the large stones, with the cross-section measurements of the long stones being approximately 20x25 centimeters. This bridge also serves as the entrance to the old Datun River Trail in Beixinzhuang.
