Linach-Talsperre, Vault column dam in Vöhrenbach, Germany
Linach-Talsperre is an arch dam in the Black Forest near Vöhrenbach, made up of thirteen curved vaults resting on twelve wall piers. It is about 470 feet (143 meters) long and rises roughly 82 feet (25 meters) above the valley floor.
The dam was built between 1922 and 1925 under engineers Karl Kraut and Karl Kammüller to generate electricity from the Linach river. The design was chosen to reduce the amount of concrete needed while still producing a solid and lasting structure.
The name comes from the Linach river, which runs through the valley below and fills the reservoir. Visitors today walk along the top of the dam and can look down at the curved arches from above, which gives a clear sense of how the structure works.
The dam is easy to reach on foot and the paths around it are open to visitors at no charge. Sturdy shoes are a good idea, as the trails near the water can be slippery after rain.
This is the only vault-and-pier dam in Germany and one of a very small number of this type in the whole of Europe. The pier-and-arch design meant that far less concrete was needed compared to a solid dam of the same height.
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