New Fire-Breathing Dragon Bridge Opens in Vietnam

To celebrate the 38th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, authorities in the port city of Da Nang have opened the world's largest dragon bridge. Featuring more than 2,500 energy-efficient Philips LED lights, the dragon is capable of releasing bursts of fire from its mouth and can spit water during the country's major festivals or at weekends.

According to VietnamNet, work began on the bridge in 2009 and cost a reported $85 million. Connecting the city’s international airport and beaches, the structure simulates the shape of the dragon in the Ly Dynasty, a symbolic creature that is part of Vietnam folklore. The 166-meter-long steel arch is the longest such structure in Vietnam, with the dragon's body measuring a total of 568 meters and more than 2,000 tons in weight.

(via The Verge)