The Alumni Bridge is 15m long and 4m wide and it is the first landmark you would see upon entering the historical and picturesque West Gate of Peking University. One of the biggest bridges in Peking University, it is also dubbed the Grand Bridge of the West Gate or the Scholars' Bridge. Built in 1926, it is a three-arch stone bridge. It is said that the stone slabs of this bridge were painstakingly transported piece by piece from Yuanming Yuan (Old Summer Palace is around 3-4km away) and then reconstructed with concrete.
Amongst the many bridges in Peking University, it is said to be the grandest of them all and the one which would often leave the deepest impression amongst visitors. Spanning the width of the rectangular pond, the Alumni Bridge is stately yet intricately-designed and the stone guardrails on both sides of the bridge make it an ideal destination to view the changing of seasons. Whether it be admiring the fishes in Spring or observing the thick snowfalls during Winter, this bridge would leave one with serene calm. In the past, vehicles could pass through this bridge but today the West Gate only allows vehicular entry when the school receives distinguished guests.
