World’s Longest Hanging Pedestrian Bridge Opened In Switzerland
The 494 meters long and 65 centimeters wide bridge named the Europe Bridge, hangs up to 85 meters above Grabengufer ravine. It replaces a previous bridge that had been damaged by rock falls.
The Zermatt Tourist Board says it is the world’s longest, although a 405 meter bridge in Reutte in Austria hangs 110 meters higher above the ground. Built by local company swissrope/Lauber Seilbahnen during 10 weeks, the bridge completes a section of the Europaweg trail, a high-altitude walking route offering panoramas of some of Switzerland’s highest peaks, including the Dom (4,545m) and the Matterhorn.
The new bridge, whose cables weigh about eight tones, is equipped with a system to prevent it from swinging, the Zermatt Tourist Board said.
