Moon Bridge at Dunedin Chinese Garden, Curved pedestrian bridge in Dunedin Chinese Garden, New Zealand
The Moon Bridge at Dunedin Chinese Garden is a high curved stone arch that reflects in the pond water below, creating an almost perfect circle. The arch is high enough to allow small boats to pass underneath while pedestrians walk across the top.
This curved arch form originates from 13th-century Chinese gardens, where such structures served both as artistic works and practical links between garden areas. The design was later adopted by Japanese gardens and spread to other regions over time.
The bridge functions as a traditional Chinese garden element that guides visitors between distinct areas and transforms how you perceive the surroundings. As you walk across, the curved path changes your viewpoint and creates new sight lines through the garden.
The bridge is best viewed in early morning or late afternoon when light creates strong reflections on the water surface below. The path up and across is easy to navigate, and the climb is short and stable for most visitors.
The arch is engineered so that its reflection in still water creates an almost unbroken circle – an optical effect that many visitors overlook. This feature was deliberately designed to mirror the balance and harmony that Chinese gardens seek to express.
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