![CH Viamala Gorge descent](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/CH_Viamala_Gorge_descent.jpg)
Viamala or Via Mala (
Romansh: literally, "bad path") is a narrow
gorge along the river
Hinterrhein between
Zillis-Reischen
Zillis-Reischen ( rm, Ziràn-Reschen) is a municipality in the Viamala Region in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.
History
Zillis-Reischen was created in 1875 with the union of the previously independent municipalities of Reischen and Zillis. Zi ...
and
Thusis
Thusis ( it, Tosana, '' Romansh: Tusàn'') is a municipality in the Viamala Region in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. On 1 January 2018 the former municipality of Mutten merged into the municipality of Thusis.
History
Thusis is first mentioned ...
in the
Canton of Graubünden
The Grisons () or Graubünden,Names include:
*german: (Kanton) Graubünden ;
* Romansh:
** rm, label=Sursilvan, (Cantun) Grischun
** rm, label= Vallader, (Chantun) Grischun
** rm, label= Puter, (Chantun) Grischun
** rm, label= Surmiran, (Can ...
,
Switzerland, as well as the ancient and notorious pathway which traverses the gorge. Historically the Viamala was the most serious obstacle on the approach to the
Splügen
Splügen ( Romansh: ''Spleia'', Italian: ''Spluga'') is a former municipality in the Viamala Region in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. On 1 January 2006 Splügen incorporated its neighbouring municipality of Medels im Rheinwald. On 1 January ...
and
San Bernardino
San Bernardino (; Spanish for "Saint Bernardino") is a city and county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States. Located in the Inland Empire region of Southern California, the city had a population of 222,101 in the 2020 cen ...
mountain passes.
History
Antiquity
A Viamala pathway already existed in
Roman antiquity
In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–509 B ...
, though it is unclear whether it was only a foot and bridle path, or also passable by wagons. Two access paths met at the northern entrance to the Viamala gorge, which the Romans traversed by means of several rock galleries cut into the gorge's left walls.
The Romans also constructed a wooden bridge crossing over to the right side of the Hinterrhein, routing traffic via Reischen to Zillis. Presumably this bridge was located somewhere below today's automobile bridge near the existing Pùnt da Suransuns
pedestrian bridge
A footbridge (also a pedestrian bridge, pedestrian overpass, or pedestrian overcrossing) is a bridge designed solely for pedestrians.''Oxford English Dictionary'' While the primary meaning for a bridge is a structure which links "two points at a ...
.
1473 Viamala letter of intent
During the medieval period more regional traffic used the
Septimer Pass
Septimer Pass (German: ''Septimerpass'', Italian: ''Passo del Settimo'', Romansh: ''Pass da Sett''; elevation ) is a high mountain pass in the canton of Graubünden in the Swiss Alps between the valleys of Bregaglia (Bergell) and Surses (Ober ...
than the Splügen Pass.
Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, supported this arrangement. He forbade the local
Count of Werdenberg to build a new path in 1359 in order to support the loyal
Bishop of Chur
The Bishop of Chur (German: ''Bischof von Chur'') is the ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Chur, Grisons, Switzerland (Latin: ''Dioecesis Curiensis'').[cooperative
A cooperative (also known as co-operative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically-contro ...]
s of Thusis,
Masein
Masein ''( Romansh: Masagn)'' is a municipality in the Viamala Region in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.
History
Masein is first mentioned in 1156 as ''de Medezenu''.
Geography
Masein has an area, , of . Of this area, 38.4% is used for agricu ...
, and
Cazis
Cazis ''( Romansh: Tgazas)'' is a municipality in the Viamala Region in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. On 1 January 2010 the municipalities of Portein, Präz, Sarn and Tartar merged into the municipality of Cazis.
History
Cazis is first ...
to rebuild the passage, which was by then in poor condition: ''die richstrass und den waeg entzwüschend Tusis und Schams, so man nempt Fyamala zuo howen, uffzuorichten und ze machen''.
Complete text of the 1473 letter in (old) German
The cooperatives renovated the Roman part of the path. They also built ''Punt da Tgiern'', the first stone bridge on the Viamala. The Count of Werdenberg's 1473 letter required the cooperatives to design the new path for significant loads, including horses and a "chariot or sled", evincing a high level of technical sophistication. In the northern part of the gorge this new path did not follow the Roman crossing to the right of the river, but stayed on the left riverbank. This led to conflicts as the two villages at the respective ends of the path fought for access and the resulting income. In 1665 Schams
thumb , The Schams north of Cagliatscha_Castle.html"_;"title="Andeer.__In_the_top_left,_the_ruins_of_Cagliatscha_Castle">Andeer.__In_the_top_left,_the_ruins_of_Cagliatscha_Castle_
The_Schams_(_rm.html" ;"title="Cagliatscha_Castle_.html" ;"tit ...
was temporarily excluded from the Grey League
The Grey League (german: Grauer Bund, it, Lega Grigia, rm, Ligia Grischa or ), sometimes called ''Oberbund'', formed in 1395 in the ''Vorderrhein'' and '' Hinterrhein'' valleys, Raetia. The name Grey League is derived from the homespun grey cl ...
for supporting the path towards Fürstenau, which led to non-Grey League territory.
Modern era
Between 1738 and 1739 Davos-based builder Christian Wildener constructed two bridges which crossed the river twice and avoided the worst part of the Roman path on the right riverbank. From 1818 to 1821 state engineer Richard La Nicca
Richard La Nicca (16 August 1794 in Safien-Neukirch – 27 August 1883 in Chur) was a Swiss engineer known as the pioneering planner and implementer of the Jura water correction project in the Swiss Jura.
Originating from Sarn and Chur, La N ...
built a completely new road with tunnels connecting the three existing bridges. Access to the 1473 Punt da Tgiern bridge was destroyed in 1834, leaving the intact bridge useless and abandoned to decay. In 1836 the new ''Rania'' bridge replaced Punt da Tgiern farther north; it is still being used today for the main road.
An additional bridge called ''Premoli'' was constructed in 1936 to relieve the southern 1738-39 bridge. It is still in place as a footbridge
A footbridge (also a pedestrian bridge, pedestrian overpass, or pedestrian overcrossing) is a bridge designed solely for pedestrians.''Oxford English Dictionary'' While the primary meaning for a bridge is a structure which links "two points at a ...
. The northern 1738-39 bridge was replaced two years later, with no traces remaining.
In 1958 a new northern part of the road from Thusis to Rongellen
Rongellen is a municipality in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland, located in the Viamala Region.
History
Rongellen is first mentioned in 1344 as ''Rungal''.
Geography
Rongellen has an area, , of . Of this area, 15.2% is used for agricul ...
was built using longer tunnels. In 1967 the new A13 expressway was opened including the San Bernardino Tunnel
The San Bernardino road tunnel is a road tunnel in the canton of Graubünden in south-eastern Switzerland. It runs under the San Bernardino Pass between the town of San Bernardino and the town of Hinterrhein, and forms part of the A13 motorway ...
and allowing year-round traffic. Before this, both road passes closed in winter. This road uses a long tunnel to avoid the Viamala gorge, crossing the gorge on a long suspension bridge in its southern part. Notable Swiss bridge engineer Christian Menn
Christian Menn (March 3, 1927 – July 16, 2018) was a renowned Swiss civil engineer and bridge designer. He was involved in the construction of around 100 bridges worldwide, but the focus of his work was in eastern Switzerland, especially in can ...
designed this concrete suspension bridge, which is known as the Great Viamala Bridge. In 1996 the original 1958 tunnels between Thusis and Rongellen were replaced by a long tunnel called the ''Crapteig''.
To connect the visible remains of the Roman path, a pedestrian bridge named the Traversinersteg was erected in 1996. In 1999 a rockslide destroyed this first Traversinersteg. It was replaced by a new bridge—Traversinersteg II—in 2005. Swiss civil engineer Jürg Conzett designed both Traversinersteg bridges, as well as the previously-mentioned Pùnt da Suransuns.
German film director Werner Herzog
Werner Herzog (; born 5 September 1942) is a German film director, screenwriter, author, actor, and opera director, regarded as a pioneer of New German Cinema. His films often feature ambitious protagonists with impossible dreams, people with u ...
filmed scenes in Viamala for his 1976 film '' Heart of Glass''.
See also
* List of highest paved roads in Europe
This is a list of the highest paved roads in Europe. It includes roads that are over long and whose culminating point is at least above sea level. This height approximately corresponds to that of the highest settlements in Europe and to the t ...
* List of mountain passes
This is a list of mountain passes.
Africa
Egypt
* Halfaya Pass (near Libya)
Lesotho
* Moteng Pass
* Mahlasela pass
* Sani Pass
Morocco
* Tizi n'Tichka
South Africa
* Eastern Cape Passes
* Western Cape Passes
* Northern Cape Passes
* ...
References
Further reading
* Armon Planta: ''Verkehrswege im alten Rätien Band 4.'' Verlag Bündner Monatsblatt, Chur 1990.
* Friedrich Pieth: ''Bündnergeschichte.'' 2. Auflage. Verlag F. Schuler, Chur 1982.
External links
Switzerland gorge Viamala, Graubünden on official tourist board
{{Authority control
Canyons and gorges of Switzerland
Landforms of Graubünden
Rhine
Tourist attractions in Graubünden