Pfaffenberg-Zwenberg Railway Bridge

Pfaffenberg-Zwenberg Railway Bridge
Pfaffenberg-Zwenberg-Brücke
Pfaffenberg, Kärnten, Austria
394 feet high / 120 meters high
656 foot span / 200 meter span
1971

Image by Eggermanuel.

Pfaffenberg-Zwenberg-Brücke is the highest of 3 large concrete arch bridges that run along the side of a steep mountain slope on the spectacular Tauern Railway in Austria. All 3 bridges were part of a 1971 realignment project that bypassed at least half a dozen tunnels as well as a tight horseshoe turn within each river gorge. The original single track line was also doubled. The second highest of the 3 arches is the Lindisch Brücke at 358 feet (109 mtrs) while the double arched Falkenstein Brücke is just 213 feet (65 mtrs) high.

Pfaffenberg Bridge is on the cover of the book Bridge Aesthetics Around the World.

The original Pfaffenberg-Zwenberg Railway Bridge was located 300 meters upstream of the current arch bridge.

Satellite image showing the Lindisch Brücke (middle), and Falkenstein Brücke and Pfaffenberg-Zwenberg Bridges (lower right).