Badlwand-Gallery

In 1842 the construction of the "k.k. Südliche Staatsbahn" from Vienna to Triest began. Because of a difficult topography and the narrow valley with steep slopes the so called "Badlwand-Gallery" was built with 2 tracks for trains and the "k.k. Post- und Commerzialstraße" on top. It is 366 m long, has 36 columns (and arches) and a inner height of 6.5 m. 1800 m³ bricks and 7200 m³ limestones were used. On 11.11.1845 the gallery was opened and the first trains followed. The operation lasted until 1966 when a new railway track and tunnel were built on the other side of the river Mur. Unfortunately since then the gallery is abandoned and became very dangerous in the last years because of many massive collapses of the ceiling. So we went on top along the old abandoned road very carefully. See PiP's for old views.The new road in the foreground was built later in the former riverbed. The original situation can be seen in the 2nd PiP.