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World’s Longest Hanging Bridge Zermatt Switzerland

Filed in Businesses & Services, Excursions, Family, Free, Outside Zurich, Swiss Mountains, Switzerland, Things To Do, Travel by newinzurich on August 1, 2017 • 0 Comments

Europabrücke

World’s Longest Hanging Bridge

Zermatt Switzerland

In Switzerland hikers are taken very seriously. What used to be a long hike from Zermatt to Graeschen taking up to 4 hours is now a walk taking barely 10 minutes. It’s all thanks to a new bridge which opened on 29th July 2017.

The Europabrücke

Named the Europabrücke, the bridge measures 1,640ft or 494m and is the longest hanging pedestrian bridge in the world. It hangs up to 85m above the Grabengufer ravine at Randa. The previous record for the longest bridge was held by the 405m Reutte bridge in Austria – although that bridge is higher, hanging 110m above the ground.

Europaweg hiking trail Zermatt – Graeschen

Situated on the Europaweg hiking trail which connects the villages of Zermatt and Graechen the bridge offers the most spectacular views over the beautiful Swiss landscape and in particular of the Matterhorn, Weisshorn and Bernese Alps. It helps to have a head for heights though as the bridge is single file and walking across you can see right through to the valley below – a long way down!!! The new bridge, however, claims to be super stable and the cabling weighs eight tonnes!

Constructed in Record Time by Swissrope

Not only the length of the bridge is record-breaking, but also the time when it was built. The bridge was constructed by the Swiss company Swissrope from Bern who built the bridge in just 10 weeks – an amazing achievement.

So next time you’re in Zermatt do take time out to go for a walk over this record breaking bridge!

Video and main photo courtesy of Swissrope

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