Markersbach viaduct, Steel railway bridge in Raschau-Markersbach, Germany.
The Markersbach viaduct is a steel railway bridge spanning roughly 236 meters across the valley near Raschau-Markersbach with a distinctive latticed framework. Its structure consists of steel beams arranged in a grid pattern that supports the railroad tracks at a height of about 37 meters above the ground below.
The bridge was completed in 1888 as part of Germany's rapid industrial expansion in the late 1800s, connecting the towns of Annaberg-Buchholz and Schwarzenberg across difficult terrain. This railway line transformed how goods and people moved through the mountain region where transportation was previously limited.
The steel framework reflects industrial-era design choices that transformed how people moved through this region. Visitors walking along the tracks or viewing from below can see how the bridge physically connected previously distant communities.
The best views of the viaduct come from the paths in the valley below where you can see the entire structure and take photographs from different angles. Morning or afternoon light works well for seeing the steel framework details clearly.
Local people call it the Matchstick Bridge because of the way its thin steel beams are arranged in a regular pattern that resembles toothpicks standing upright. This nickname has stuck with the structure for generations.
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