Q’eswachaka, the last Inca bridge in use and also part of the extensive road network or Qapac Ñan, has been recognized by UNESCO as a Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
On Father’s Day, John’s family tried out an aerial adventure park that included a high bridge made of ropes and slats. I told my grandson I thought his picture looked scary, but that was before I knew about the Peruvian rope bridge in today’s article. It may be a UNESCO heritage site, but it looks unbelievably scary to me.
The Guardian via Reuters-Lima explains that local artisans are constantly reweaving the bridge over the river to keep it in good repair.
“Peruvians from the Huinchiri community in Cusco region are rebuilding a 500-year-old Incan hanging bridge, made using traditional weaving techniques to string a crossing together spanning the Apurimac river far below.
The Q’eswachaka bridge has been used for over 500 years to connect communities divided by the river. But during the Covid pandemic it fell into disrepair and collapsed in March.
“Members of the affected communities, such as the Huinchiri, decided to rebuild the 30-meter (98.43 ft) long bridge in the traditional Incan style: by weaving it.
“Teams of workers, starting from both sides of the ravine and balancing on giant main ropes that had been stretched over the river, worked towards the centre, putting in place smaller ropes as barriers between the handrail ropes and the walkway’s floor.
“ ‘Last year because of the pandemic, it wasn’t strengthened … That is why at the beginning of this year the bridge fell,’ said Cusco Regional Governor Jean Paul Benavente. …
“In 2013, Unesco recognized the skills and traditions associated to the reconstruction of the Q’eswachaka bridge as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
” ‘This is history. More than 500 years of a paradox in time. The Q’eswachaka, this Incan living bridge, is really an expression and cultural manifestation,’ added Benavente.
“ ‘This is community, in this particular case, the Huinchiri community from the Quehue district is currently working to string up this bridge that connects villages, but that also connects traditions and connects culture.’ ”
For additional scary pictures, check out the Guardian, here. If you plan to visit, Qorianka Tours here, is one option.
By the way, you can see fascinating examples of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity designations, here. They include such curiosities as Al Aflaj, “traditional irrigation network system in the UAE, oral traditions, knowledge and skills of construction, maintenance and equitable water distribution” in the United Arab Emirates and tree beekeeping in Poland and Belarus.
Scary to me, too. I think I would lose my lunch if I went over a bridge like that.
Yeah, you don’t have to have acrophobia to be scared of a height like that and looking at a distant river between strands of that spiderweb.
Holy cats!
Oh my goodness! I’d be terrified to cross that thing!
Not to mention repairing it at that height when you know it’s broken!