The World's Longest Aerial Tramway

In a unique solution to a transportation concern, officials in Armenia have built what’s being touted as the world’s longest aerial tramway. Unlike some of the new gondola systems being built in heavily urbanized areas in South America, this tramway connects a remote village to an even more remote historic monastery, Tatev, one of the country’s most visited tourist attractions, as Armenia Now reports.

Dubbed the “Wings of Tatev,” the roughly 3.5-mile route cuts a direct path to the 9th century monastery over a dense forest previously traversed only through winding roads. It’s estimated that the 11-minute trip on the tramway cuts more than a half hour out of the trip, and enables wintertime visiting when roads are impassable.