Langwieser Viaduct, Railway bridge in Langwies, Switzerland.
The Langwieser Viaduct is a railway bridge made of reinforced concrete that stretches 284 meters and rises 62 meters high. It spans the Plessur Valley with a graceful arch connecting the valley floor to the rising hillsides.
The viaduct was built between 1912 and 1914 as a pioneering achievement, being the first railway bridge constructed entirely from reinforced concrete. This project marked a turning point in bridge building and showed new possibilities for engineers working in mountainous regions.
The structure is recognized as a class A Swiss cultural property, representing engineering innovation from the early 20th century in Graubunden. Travelers on the railway can directly experience this pioneering construction method while crossing the valley.
The bridge is part of the Rhaetian Railway running from Chur to Arosa, offering access to mountain landscapes. Visitors can best admire the viaduct from above on the train or from hiking trails that cross through the valley below.
The project used about 7,469 cubic meters of concrete and 250 tons of steel, representing an impressive logistical feat for its time. The temporary wooden supports employed during construction demonstrated innovative methods for holding up such massive structures over a valley.
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