To the Mountains, Part Five

In the Vicinity of the Bridges

 Because the Teufelsbrucke is a key part of a major mountain pass, it has also been the subject of defensive and offensive military strategy. The Swiss have fortifications nearby to protect it, and some tunnelling in case it gets demolished. During the Napoleonic Wars, in September 1799, when the French and the Russians were battling each other in this area, the bridge was badly damaged. The bold Russian Field Marshal Alexander Suvorov, then 70 years old, had defeated the French in Italy and was proceeding to do the same in Switzerland, with historically notable strategy in extremely difficult mountain conditions. The victory in the Devil's Bridge battle was a major point in his campaign. To this day he is memorialised and celebrated across Switzerland as a liberator from the French, even though his heroic campaign did not achieve his goal, because of lack of support from and defeats of his allies.

This is a memorial carved in to the mountainside to Suvorov and his troops at the bridge. It was sponsored by the Russians.

The base of the memorial

The memorial plaque

Tokens of appreciation are still placed here

At this very old restaurant on the switchback road to the memorial....

(restaurant to the right, memorial in cut-out of mountain, road switching back around restaurant between the two)

.... is this drink establishment named for the general. Many other places throughout Switzerland are likewise named for him.

The old road and the train bridge

This sign on the mountain explains the defensive building the Swiss have made in this area to protect the bridge and to provide alternatives to it if it should be destroyed....

....Because this river is not ford-able

The train bridge beyond the river falls

The history of the bridge and its various re-buildings.

The old pass road going around the mountain, under the new pass road tunnelling through the mountain

A group of old men hiking to the memorial

The pass road curving up the mountain – the bridges are higher up a bit

Some snow left from winter

The bridges are behind the viewer in this position  – a rugged land

On the old pass road, walking under the newer bridge

Stuff needs to be fixed – not easy in some places