Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge
Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge (Charles Kuonen Hängebrücke) | |
|---|---|
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| Coordinates | 46°06′0.14″N 7°48′11.5″E / 46.1000389°N 7.803194°E |
| Crosses | Grabengufer ravine |
| Locale | Randa, Switzerland |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Hanging bridge |
| Total length | 494 metres (1,621 ft) |
| Width | 65 centimetres (26 in) |
| History | |
| Opened | July 29, 2017 |
| Location | |
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At the time of its opening in July 2017, the Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge was the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the world.[1] It is located in Randa, Switzerland and replaced the defunct Europabrücke, which had been damaged by a rock slide.[1][2] The bridge is part of the Europaweg.[3]
History
[edit]The bridge officially opened on 29 July 2017, drawing a crowd of around 250 to 300 attendees, including local residents and tourists.[1] It was named after Charles Kuonen, a psychologist and co-owner of a Swiss winery, who contributed as the primary private sponsor of the project.[2][4] The event also marked the reopening of the Europaweg trail segment, a popular high-altitude hiking route between Grächen and Zermatt.[1][3]
Design and Construction
[edit]The Charles Kuonen Bridge is a hanging-type suspension bridge that measures 494 metres in length and 65 centimetres in width, suspended up to 85 metres above the Grabengufer ravine in the Mattertal valley near Randa, Switzerland.[1][4] The bridge is constructed using steel cables that weigh a total of eight tonnes, and incorporates a specialized oscillation damping system designed to minimize swaying under wind or pedestrian load.[1]
Its deck consists of transparent wire mesh grating, allowing hikers to look directly down into the ravine below.[1][4] The bridge remains stable in use, despite its narrow width of 65 centimetres.[4]
The bridge was built over a period of approximately two and a half months by the Swiss company Swissrope, using specialized assembly sleds.[1][4] The project was coordinated in part by a local councilor in Randa.[1]
See also
[edit]- Europa Hut, located around 500 metres (1,600 ft) northeast of the bridge
- List of notable pedestrian bridges
- Arouca 516
- Swiss Alps
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Längste Hängebrücke der Welt im Wallis eröffnet" [Longest hanging bridge opened in Valais] (in German). Neue Zürcher Zeitung. 29 July 2017. Retrieved 30 July 2017 – via www.nzz.ch.
- ^ a b "Now open: World's longest pedestrian suspension bridge". CNN. Retrieved 2017-07-31.
- ^ a b "The "Europabruecke" - World's Longest Pedestrian Suspension Bridge". Design You Trust. 2017-07-30. Retrieved 2017-07-31.
- ^ a b c d e "The Charles Kuonen suspension bridge on the Europaweg". Gemeinde Randa. Retrieved 4 August 2025.