The world's tallest outdoor elevator, which provides quick and easy views of a national park that many believe served as inspiration for the breathtaking beauty of the 2009 film "Avatar," is 20 years old, but it is still quite popular.The floating landscape of the alien world Pandora, which has a major role in the film, is strikingly similar to the towering, pillar-like karst formations in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Hunan, China.The national park's 326-meter-tall glass Bailong Elevator, which was built atop a cliffside, provides breathtaking views of the karst formations.
Three double-decker lifts make up the system, and each one has the capacity to carry 46 passengers in less than two minutes.
The elevator provides access to some of the park's biggest attractions, such as Golden Whip Stream, Tianzi Mountain, and views of the Southern Pillar of Heaven, which was later renamed "Hallelujah Mountain" in recognition of director James Cameron's floating mountains from "Avatar."
Visitors can also take a 2.5-hour climb up the mountain as an alternative.
The lift, which cost a hefty RMB 180 million ($26 million) and was finished in 2002, hasn't always received praise. At first, local professionals and academics opposed the project, claiming that the Bailong Elevator's 1999-starting construction had harmed the surrounding environment.
Three months after it first started operating, the lift's operations were suspended because of arguments and safety worries. Although demolition was discussed, the elevator was reopened ten months after it was closed, as reported by CCTV, the state-run television network in China.
Over 60 million visitors have used the Bailong Elevator in the 20 years since it first opened, making it one of the park's most popular attractions.
The tallest bungee jump in the world is also located in Zhangjiajie at the well-known Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge, which was once the tallest and longest glass bridge of its kind when it was built in 2016.
In 2020, this article was originally published. A revision was made in September 2022.
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