Solkan Railway Bridge

1 hr

With the span of 85 metres, the Solkan railway bridge across the Soča is the longest stone-arch bridge in the world. The bridge was constructed within the context of the Central Europe–Trieste/Trst railway connection and is one in the series of 65 bridges and viaducts along the Bohinj Railway, built between 1900 and 1906. Fatal for Solkan Bridge were the events on the Isonzo Front when its main arch was blown up in August 1916, during the fights for Gorizia/Gorica. In 1918 a provisional steel construction was set up which enabled transport across the bridge until 1927 when the Italian State Railways, which managed the bridge at the time, completed the restoration of the arch in cut stone. The restoration works went on for two years and the final form of the bridge is practically identical to the original.

Photos: (1, 2) Jure Batagelj, Fundacija Poti miru; (3) Simon Kovačič, Fundacija Poti miru; (4) Archive of Simon Kovačič