Wonder of the World? A New Natural Bridge is Discovered in War-Torn Afghanistan

Photo By: Ayub Alavi / Wildlife Conservation Society

Previously unknown, one of the world's largest natural arches is now on the map, in the central highlands of Afghanistan. Researchers with the Wildlife Conservation Society recently announced the discovery of Hazarchishma Natural Bridge, a 60-feet-tall, 210-feet-long bridge that, at about 10,000 feet in altitude, is not only one of the world's longest but one of the world's highest land bridges.

"It's one of the most spectacular discoveries ever made in this region," Joe Walston, director of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Asia Program, said in a statement. "The arch is emblematic of the natural marvels that still await discovery in Afghanistan."

The bridge, named for a nearby village (which surely "discovered" it previously), is the 12th-longest in the world, displacing Outlaw Arch in Dinosaur National Monument, Utah, down a notch. The bridge is made of ancient rock, some of it formed more than 145 million years ago, and carved by the river that once ran through the now-dry Jawzari Canyon.

After decades of war and rule by the Taliban, which was notorious for many things, including its disregard for the nation's cultural and natural heritage, Afghanistan established its first national park in 2009. Could the Hazarchishma Natural Bridge join it, and one day draw travelers on peaceful pilgrimages to this natural wonder? One can hope.

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