Göltzschtalbrücke, Stone arch bridge in Reichenbach im Vogtland, Germany
The Göltzschtalbrücke is a massive stone arch bridge that crosses the Göltzsch Valley with four rows of arches stacked above each other. The structure reaches about 78 meters in height and stretches roughly 574 meters, with a total of 81 arches supporting the entire construction.
Construction of this massive structure took place between 1846 and 1851 as part of a railway link between Leipzig and Nuremberg. The project connected Altenburg, Reichenbach, and Hof and marked an important advance in rail transport.
The bridge came from a design competition in 1845 that drew more than 80 submissions from across Europe. This competition showed how much people believed in new building methods and engineering possibilities.
The bridge is easy to reach from the B173 road between Reichenbach and Plauen, with parking areas and viewing points nearby. Visitors get the best views from different angles in the valley below and from paths that run along the banks of the Göltzsch River.
The structure was built from around 26 million bricks and remains the world's largest brick arch bridge. This number shows the enormous craftsmanship and planning that went into completing this monument.
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