Semmering Railway in Austria
Rating: 9,3/10 (1137 votes)  The Semmering railway was the first railway to be created in the highlands (in the Alps). The road is currently in good condition and is still in operation. The Semmering road is considered one of the main attractions of Austria. The Semmering railway was built for several years from 1848 to 1854. The road was designed by the architect Karl von Gega. About 20 thousand people were involved in its construction. Since the road is laid on a very difficult terrain, 16 viaducts, 11 small iron bridges, more than 100 stone bridges and 14 tunnels had to be cut. The administrative buildings and stations of the road are mainly built from waste rock that was obtained during the construction of tunnels. Since the road was very steep and conventional standard equipment could not cope with the extreme cornering radii and elevation, a new locomotive design was created for this road. The Semmering road connects the provinces of Lower Austria (Gloggnitz) and Styria (Murzzuschlag). Since its opening in 1854, this road has forever changed the way we travel through the rugged Alps. Until the 19th century, the surroundings of the mountains were inaccessible and sparsely populated areas. The journey through the mountains was rather dangerous and slow. The road was originally created not for peaceful purposes, but for the military. Its main purpose was to link the central region of Austria-Hungary with the port of Trieste (the main base of the Italian navy). But since the opening of the road, it has become very popular among tourists who have acquired the opportunity to admire the beauty of the Alps while sitting in safe and comfortable wagons. In 1998, the Semmering railway was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.    We also recommend reading Monastery”Podmaine” in Montenegro, the resort of Budva Topic: Semmering Railway in Austria. |
