With the majesty of a triumphal arch, the Langwies viaduct soars 62m above the gorge where the Plessur and Sapün rivers meet. The construction is eloquent testimony to the pioneering spirit of the creators of what would come to be called the Rhaetian Railway.

Until the first line opened in 1889, the challenge of opening up the alpine terrain with its tall cliffs and dizzy gorges had seemed insurmountable. The Langwies viaduct on the Chur–Arosa line is one of the finest of many feats of engineering along the network’s branches: when it opened in 1914, the innovative structure of reinforced concrete, 287m long, caused a worldwide sensation. Along with the Wiesen and Landwasser viaducts, it is one of the highlights of the Rhaetian Railway, with its nearly 400km of line, 100 tunnels and 500 bridges.