The origin of the name of Marco Polo Bridge (Introduction)

The Marco Polo Bridge is a national 4A-level tourist attraction. It is named after it spans the Marco Polo River (i.e. Yongding River). It is an eleven-hole arch bridge. The goose-wing bridge decks on both sides of the bridge are in the shape of a trumpet. There are stone railings on both sides of the bridge. The entire bridge is a stone structure, with silver ingots and iron tenons connecting key parts. It is the longest ancient stone bridge in North China.

On July 7, 1937, Japanese imperialism launched a full-scale war of aggression against China here, known in history as the "Marco Bridge Incident" (also known as the "July 7th Incident"). The Chinese anti-Japanese army fired the first shot of the all-out war of resistance at Marco Polo Bridge.

As early as the 13th century, Marco Polo Bridge was world-famous. At that time, an Italian, Marco Polo, visited China. In his travel notes, he highly praised this bridge and said that it was "unique in the world." And I especially admire the lions carved on the bridge pillars, saying that they "together constitute a beautiful spectacle"!

In May of the twenty-eighth year of Jin Dading (1188), Jin Shizong decided to build Marco Polo Bridge. However, before construction started, Jin Shizong died of illness at the beginning of the next year.

In June of the 16th year of Chunxi in the Southern Song Dynasty (1189), the Marco Polo Bridge was built.