Contra Dam, Arch dam in Ticino, Switzerland.
The Contra Dam spans 380 meters across the Verzasca River, rising 220 meters high with a structural design that curves between the valley walls.
Engineer Giovanni Lombardi designed this hydroelectric infrastructure, which required five years of construction before its completion in 1965.
The dam gained international recognition when it appeared in the opening sequence of the 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye.
Three Francis turbines generate 105 megawatts of power while the reservoir holds 105 million cubic meters of water for energy production.
The structure experienced a series of small earthquakes due to water load after the initial filling of its reservoir, continuing until 1971.
Location: Canton of Ticino
Official opening: 1965
Elevation above the sea: 436 m
GPS coordinates: 46.19660,8.84824
Latest update: May 26, 2025 21:22
Switzerland offers much more than its famous destinations. This collection features places where nature and history are discovered at a gentle pace, far from crowds. You will find mountain refuges perched on rocks like Berggasthaus Aescher-Wildkirchli, wild valleys where ibex and chamois live, like Creux du Van, or medieval monasteries preserved in mountain villages such as Santa Maria. Each place tells a different story. Mount San Giorgio reveals fossils that are 240 million years old. Lauterbrunnen Valley has 72 waterfalls cascading down limestone cliffs. Binntal offers the chance to explore old mining tunnels in the heart of the Alps. These spots invite you to take your time, walk, observe, and feel the diversity of landscapes and traditions that make up Switzerland.
The Swiss Alps include peaks, valleys, lakes, and passes that have impressed travelers for a long time. This collection brings together places where nature shows its best side: the Matterhorn with its recognizable shape, the green waters of the Verzasca Valley, the Gornergrat view facing 29 peaks, and the St. Moritz lake that becomes a natural ice rink in winter. Alongside these natural sights, you will also see signs of local craftsmanship, like dams hanging on the rocky walls, funiculars and cogwheel trains that have climbed higher for more than a century, or cultural sites such as the Pierre Gianadda Foundation in Martigny. Each place tells in its own way how the Swiss tamed their mountains while respecting them. A journey between high altitude and a gentle way of life.
Lago di Vogorno
402 m
Madonna del Sasso
4.8 km
Grand Hotel Locarno
4.7 km
Locarno–Madonna del Sasso funicular
4.8 km
Piazza Grande
5 km
La Baronata
1.9 km
Bolle di Magadino
4.7 km
San Vittore Collegiate Church
4.2 km
Sassariente
3.8 km
Pretorio Palace
5 km
Church Santa Maria Lauretana (Brione sopra Minusio)
3 km
Morettini Palace
5 km
Convento di Santa Caterina
4.8 km
Oratory of San Martino
3.3 km
Vogorno
2.9 km
Torre del Comune
5.1 km
San Quirico Church with church tower
3.6 km
Santi Carpoforo e Gottardo Parish Church and rectory
1.6 km
Chiesa di Santa Maria del Carmine
4.4 km
Oratory of Saints Anna and Cristoforo
4.7 km
Corippo
4.4 km
Elisarion museum
3.9 km
Casa Bianchetti
5.1 km
Madonna del Sasso Museum
4.8 km
Locarno chapel of the Resurrection
5 km
Palazzo della Società Elettrica Sopracenerina
5 km
Ca’ di Ferro e oratorio della Vergine dei Sette Dolori
3 km
Cantonal library Locarno
5 kmReviews
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