Eisenbahnviadukt Hornberg, Railway viaduct in Hornberg, Germany

The Hornberg Railway Viaduct is a concrete arch bridge that crosses a forested valley and carries rail lines through the Black Forest region. The structure consists of seven large arches supported by solid pillars that hold the trackway above the terrain.

The original steel viaduct built in 1871 could not handle the growing railway traffic. In the 1920s, this new concrete structure was built to accommodate more train lines and has survived to the present day.

The viaduct shows how rail transport connected the region in the early 20th century and moved people and goods faster across the landscape. The structure remains a landmark in the valley and reflects when such engineering works were considered modern marvels.

The viaduct is best observed from walking trails in the surrounding area, which offer different viewing angles. Daytime visits work well since good light makes the structure clearly visible and you can watch trains passing through.

The viaduct is the only one on the Badische Schwarzwaldbahn, and its facing is real granite: roughly 3,800 m³ of granite stone clads about 14,000 m³ of concrete. It replaced a two-track steel bridge built between 1869 and 1871, which heavier locomotives and rising traffic had outgrown.