We were really taken with this railway. The beautiful Valposchiavo, the lush green surroundings, the contrast between the blue sky, dark grey mountain rocks, trees and the cheerful red Bernina Railway is very impressive.
After a morning hike around the lake (Regula) and a cosy round of knitting (Heike), we have a new destination: just a few kilometres away, the Bernina railway winds its way down the valley in a circular viaduct towards Tirano/Italy. Now that's a day's highlight.
The circular viaduct in Brusio is truly a spectacular structure that attracts people from all over the world.
Here is some information:
The 143-metre long circular viaduct of Brusio is part of the Rhaetian Railway and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is located on the edge of the village of Brusio, where we could also easily park our Felix. Each of the nine arches of the viaduct has a span of 10 metres. With a track radius of 70 metres and a gradient of 70 ‰, the valley floor is crossed at a height of 7 to 17 metres.
Planning for the railway began in June 1905. There were various designs, but finally a variant with a circular viaduct was approved because it took up less land. Construction of the viaduct began in March 1907 and, despite some delays, was completed in July 1908.
In 2008, a rockfall severely damaged the railway line and led to a 111-day closure. To prevent future rockfalls, a protective dam was built. From 2011 to 2013, the viaduct was renovated to repair damage caused by temperature fluctuations and chemical decomposition.
Here is a video about it:
https://youtu.be/_MfIFUp_yjg
So we stand on the meadow, look expectantly at the still empty tracks and lo and behold, our train is coming. Slowly it winds its way down the 70 ‰ gradient, then masters the 10 metres down in a rather tight circle. What a great view of this construction and the Bernina railway.
We are becoming more and more railway fans! And a plan is maturing in me. Tonight, when I take Regula to the train in St. Moritz and pick up my beloved there (great idea of mine, I'm sharing a holiday in Graubünden with two favourite people), Gerd and I will have to take the Bernina Railway for a few stops. Sure!
After our trip to Brusia, we - the poor! - once again through the whole valley and over the whole pass. Once again beautiful views, once again bend after bend, once again stopping in charming cafés and finally in Pontresina a farewell zVieri.
Thank you, dear friend, for five wonderful days of holiday with you. Merci for the suggestion to travel here to this region. And thank you for following my idea of taking the train home, leaving my bed and table to my beloved so that I can also explore this area with him.
Merci for "travelling with us
We are thinking about taking another break from travelling in the summer and visiting our families in Germany and Switzerland. One of the ideas is to organise a Lecture about our long journey to the Persian Gulf to prepare. If you would like to, what would interest you the most? We will also tell stories here that don't find a place here on the blog. We're thinking of the Bern and Berlin area - simply because we have family there. But other places are also conceivable. Feel free to write to us.
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