World’s tallest sea bridge observatory set to open in Incheon

People wearing safety gear walk on the Cheongna Sky Bridge observatory in Incheon, March 25, during a facility inspection ahead of the opening of the world’s tallest sea bridge observatory in April. Newsis

The world’s tallest observatory on a sea bridge will open in the port city of Incheon in April, offering sweeping views of Korea’s West Sea from nearly 200 meters above the water.

The Sky 184 observatory is built into the top of the main tower of Cheongna Sky Bridge, which connects Yeongjong Island with the mainland at Cheongna International City. Rising 184.2 meters above sea level, it has been certified by Guinness World Records as the highest public bridge observatory on the sea, beating the 128-meter Penobscot Narrows Bridge Observatory in the U.S. state of Maine.

According to Incheon city officials, the two-story facility has a total floor area of 339 square meters. The first level is an indoor observatory equipped with telescopes, while the second level is an open-air deck featuring an “edge walk,” where visitors wearing safety gear can circle the outside of the platform.

On clear days, the skyline stretches from Yeongjong and Cheongna across Incheon to Seoul landmarks such as N Seoul Tower and Lotte World Tower, officials said.

After additional safety checks, the observatory is expected to open to the public in late April. It will operate as a paid attraction, with admission priced at 60,000 won ($40) for those who take part in the edge walk experience and 15,000 won for the observatory alone. Incheon residents will receive a 50 percent discount and the Incheon Tourism Organization, which will operate the facility, plans to run it on a reservation basis.

Incheon officials expect the observatory to become a new tourism landmark and a gateway stop on routes linking the airport with city attractions, helping raise the global profile of the city.