Salginatobel Bridge

In 1929, the Salginatobel Bridge was built to provide a safe and efficient connection between Schiers and the remote Alpine villages on the other side of the Salgina Gorge . Until then, the only way to cross the 120-metre-wide gorge was a dangerous and time-consuming path through the valley, which was sometimes impossible in the winter months. The local government wanted a sustainable, modern solution instead of a traditional wooden or steel bridge. Of the nineteen entries, the revolutionary concrete design by Robert Maillart (1872-1940) was chosen. Wooden bridges suffered from the harsh winters and heavy rainfall in the Alps. The reinforced concrete construction was to be weatherproof and require little maintenance. Thanks to Maillart's innovative design, the bridge could also be built relatively cheaply and quickly.

Time has rewarded that visionary thinking in spades. Just under a century later, the elegant Salginatobel Bridge looks as good as new and is still in full use for traffic. The structure also complies with the sacred principle of 'form follows function', the golden recommendation that says that anyone who strictly adheres to functionality in a design need not, and may not even, concern themselves with the aesthetic result. That everything that is conceived purely for the purpose is also of lasting beauty.

The bridge has become a place of pilgrimage. Engineers and architects from all over the world come to this remote corner of the Swiss canton of Graubünden to admire the timeless beauty of this minimalist masterpiece. Even for laymen, the bridge, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, is worth the trip. However, the vantage point from which the photo was taken can only be reached by drone.

Mediahuis België