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An industrial village at the foot of the Alps - Ziegelbrücke
Ziegelbrücke, a transport hub at the edge of the Linthebene plane in eastern Switzerland, is dominated by the Spinnerei Jenny spinning mill buildings on the Glarus side of the Linthkanal and by the rail facilities on the St. Gallen side. The village is also well-known as a rail interchange point.
In pre-industrial times, Ziegelbrücke was the main transshipment centre and customs post in Glarus, on the waterway linking Zurich with Walenstadt. Drainage of the plane and construction of the Linthkanal at the start of the nineteenth century paved the way, from 1833 onwards, for industrial development. The Spinnerei Jenny mechanical cotton-spinning mill bears testimony to this. Flanked by canals, it is extremely well preserved despite the end of production and partial conversion of the factory into housing.
The left bank of the Linthkanal is dotted with industrial structures: production and administration buildings, warehousing and power plants alternate with tall chimneys plus a variety of residential buildings, an inn and a farming estate. The rows of buildings along the watercourses and the main valley road make an imposing sight, and are interspersed with twisting alleyways. In addition to two old spinning mills, the architectural highlights include an administrative building from 1909/10, the factory owner's villa dating from 1910 and a tall, elongated workers' residence from 1861.
The rail facilities on the right bank of the Linthkanal, featuring an impressively sized station building, mark the junction between the Rapperswil–Glarus railway (opened in 1859) and the Zurich–Chur line (1875).
Trip tip
The
Glarner Industrieweg trail from Linthal to Ziegelbrücke and from Elm to Schwanden covers a total distance of 50 km. The nearby Walensee is a further popular destination for hikers or boat-trippers.
ISOS
ISOS is the Federal Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites of national importance. The inventory is maintained by the Federal Office of Culture (FOC) and lists the most significant settlements in Switzerland. Today, some 1,200 places are included in the inventory, from hamlets right through to cities. The inventory provides information on the development and identity of the settlements listed in it, thereby contributing to the preservation of architectural diversity in Switzerland and promoting both sustainable planning and a high-quality Baukultur.
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