Zhao Zhouqiao has a history of its initial name, common name and renaming. After the completion of Zhao Zhouqiao, it was originally named Zhaojun River Stone Bridge. Zhang Yu, secretary of Emperor Taizong of Tang Dynasty, wrote an inscription for Zhaozhou Dashiqiao in the 13th year of Kaiyuan (725): "The Zhaojun River Stone Bridge is also a trace of craftsmen in Sui Dynasty." It was named after the place name and water name at that time, and its first name was seen here.
Zhaozhou Dashiqiao, commonly known by locals. Yongtong Bridge was built on the Yehe River (Qingshui River) outside the west gate of Zhaozhou City, and later than Zhaojun River Stone Bridge. Its architectural structure and artistic style are similar, but its volume is small, only 2.5 kilometers away from Zhaojun River Stone Bridge, so it is called Zhaozhou Dashiqiao (Yongtong Bridge is called Zhaozhou Xiaoshiqiao) to distinguish the north and south bridges.
Characteristics of Zhao Zhouqiao:
1, Zhao Zhouqiao is characterized by low arch foot, shallow foundation and short abutment, which makes full use of the bearing capacity of the basement and avoids obvious settlement. In Zhao Zhouqiao, the semicircular arch is replaced by a round stone arch bridge with smaller vector span, with a rise of 7.23 meters and a clear distance of 37.35 meters, which is only about one-fifth of the rise-span ratio, making the bridge lower, the road flat and easy to pass.
2. There are four small arches on the big arch of the bridge, which not only increases the water area of the bridge, but also reduces the impact of river and flood on the bridge body, saves stone and reduces the weight of the bridge body. The big arch consists of 28 arch rings, just like so many arch dragons with the same shape together, making an arc-shaped bridge opening. Each arch ring can independently support its weight. If one arch ring is broken, the other arches will not be affected.