Top 11 Famous Bridges in Switzerland

Switzerland is an Alpine country in West-Central Europe, and when it comes to infrastructure, it’s well known for its incredible tunnels.

A mountainous country should have a fair number of famous bridges as well, and that’s certainly the case, as you’ll soon discover.

From pedestrian bridges that cross incredible canyons to historic bridges that cross rivers and lakes, this list features some of the most stunning bridges in Switzerland.

Related: Check out this list of some of the most beautiful buildings in Switzerland.

1. Trift Bridge

The Thrift Bridge or Triftbrücke, is one of the many suspension bridges in the Swiss Alps. It spans the Thriftsee, a wonderful lake near the town of Gadmen in the canton of Bern.

It spans about 170 meters (560 feet) and reaches a height of about 100 meters (330 feet) above the lake below. If you don’t fear heights, it’s the perfect place to check out another wonder of nature, the nearby Thrift Glacier.

2. Chapel Bridge

The Chapel Bridge or Kapellbrücke is one of the most beautiful landmarks in the Swiss city of Lucerne. It crosses the Reuss River in the heart of the city and is a popular tourist attraction.

This covered wooden pedestrian bridge dates back to the 14th century and features triangular paintings inside. Unfortunately, many of these, which depict events in the city’s history, had to be restored due to a fire in 1993.

3. Middle Bridge

The Middle Bridge or Mittlere Brücke is a historic bridge in Basel, the third-most populous city in Switzerland. It’s believed that the current bridge is located on the oldest bridge spanning the Rhine River, which is quite significant in this part of Europe.

Not much is known about the construction of this bridge, but the first documentation dates back to the 13th century, and it might have been completed around 1225. The modern-day stone bridge replaced the original wooden bridge between 1903 and 1905.

4. Landwasser Viaduct

The Landwasser Viaduct is an enormous limestone viaduct that spans the Landwasser, a relatively small river in the canton of Graubünden. As you can see below, it features a single-track railway line that disappears in an equally magnificent feat of engineering, the Landwasser Tunnel.

The viaduct was built in the early 20th century between 1901 and 1902 and features stunning dimensions. It stands 65 meters (213 feet) above the river below, features 6 massive arches, and has a length of 136 meters (446 feet).

5. Titlis Cliff Walk

The Titlis Cliff Walk is another pedestrian bridge that was named after the 3,238-meter-high (9,800 feet) mountain called Titlis. It has a length of about 100 meters (330 feet) and is only 1 meter (3.3 feet) wide.

The magnificent views you get, if you are brave enough to cross this incredible bridge, are mainly due to its height. It’s located about 3,000 meters (9,900 feet) above sea level, which makes it th highest-elevation suspension bridge in Europe.

6. Devil’s Bridge

Devil’s Bridge or Teufelsbrücke is the name given to two bridges that cross the Schöllenen Gorge Swiss canton of Uri. As you surely expected, like many other bridges across Europe with the same name, a legend emerged suggesting the bridge was constructed by the devil himself.

The old bridge was completed in 1595 and its tunnel was completed in the early 18th century. The new bridge isn’t exactly new either as it was completed in 1830. The old late 16th-century bridge finally collapsed in 1888. A modern road bridge was constructed to replace it in 1958.

7. Salginatobel Bridge

Salginatobel Bridge is arguably one of the most stunning feats of engineering in this list of famous bridges in Switzerland. It’s a reinforced concrete arch bridge that was constructed between 1929 and 1930.

This bridge became an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1991 and was the first concrete bridge to be designated as such. It features a single arch, has a length of 133 meters (436 feet), and reaches a height of 90 meters (300 feet) above the valley below.

8. Spreuer Bridge

Spreuer Bridge or Spreuerbrücke is another wooden covered pedestrian bridge in the historic center of Lucerne, and the second of the two extant bridges of its kind. The third bridge, the Hofbrücke, was demolished in the 19th century.

Originally constructed in the 13th century and extended in the year 1408, the medieval structure was demolished and rebuilt as the current bridge in the 16th century. Unlike the Chapel Bridge, this one still features 2 original paintings painted in the early 17th century.

9. Ganter Bridge

The Ganter Bridge is the bridge with the second-longest span in Switzerland and features an S-shaped roadway. It’s a fascinating bridge that combines several types of bridges in one, including elements found in cable-stayed bridges and prestressed cantilever hollow-box girder bridges.

The bridge was completed in 1980 and is located in the canton of Valais. It has a total length of 678 meters (2,224 feet) and an incredible height of 150 meters (492 feet).

10. Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge

The Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge is the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the Alps and the third-longest of its kind in the world.

Located in the town of Randa, it has a total length of 494 meters (1,621 feet) and reaches a height of 85 meters (279 feet). Despite these impressive dimensions, it only has a width of 65 centimeters (26 inches).

11. Poya Bridge

Poya Bridge is a relatively new bridge in Switzerland that crosses the Sarine River in Fribourg, the capital city of the canton with the same name. Completed in 2008, features the longest span of any bridge in the country.

The bridge has a total length of 851.6 meters (2,794 feet) and the main span has a length of 196.00 meters (643.04 feet). It stands 107.65 meters (353.2 feet) tall and reaches a maximum height of about 70 meters (230 feet) above the river below.