Viaduc de Chillon
Encyclopedia
The Viaduc de Chillon is a viaduct
in Switzerland
located in Veytaux
to the southeast of Montreux
. Built by the Consortium des Viaducs de Chillon between 1966 and 1969, it takes its name from the Château de Chillon which lies downhill on the shores of Lac Léman. The viaduct comprises two structures 12 metres (39.4 ft) wide carrying the east and westbound lanes of the Swiss A9 autoroute
.
The choice of a viaduct was dictated by the steeply-sloping terrain, the need to avoid extensive deforestation and the esthetic implications of the proximity of the Château de Chillon. A tunnel was considered for the site, but was rejected to keep costs down. The bridge uses prefabricated concrete parts, assembled from a crane spanning overhead from pier to pier
The two viaducts span a total of 2150 metres (7,053.8 ft) at a height of 100 metres (328.1 ft) above the lake. The two structures are staggered by several meters in height. The supporting piers are between 3 and 45 metres (147.6 ft) high and are separated by spans of 92 metres (301.8 ft), 98 metres (321.5 ft)} or 104 metres (341.2 ft). At the northern end of the viaduct, the road enters the Glion Tunnel
. The southern end of the viaduct ends on the heights of Villeneuve. The viaduct offers an expansive view of Lac Léman, the Chablais
, and Haute-Savoie
on the opposite side of the lake.
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
located in Veytaux
Veytaux
Veytaux is a municipality in the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.The Chateau of Chillon provides a marvelous view of the entire Lake of Geneva located in Avenue de Chillon.-Geography:...
to the southeast of Montreux
Montreux
Montreux is a municipality in the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.It is located on Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps and has a population, , of and nearly 90,000 in the agglomeration.- History :...
. Built by the Consortium des Viaducs de Chillon between 1966 and 1969, it takes its name from the Château de Chillon which lies downhill on the shores of Lac Léman. The viaduct comprises two structures 12 metres (39.4 ft) wide carrying the east and westbound lanes of the Swiss A9 autoroute
A9 motorway (Switzerland)
The A9 motorway, an Autobahn in western Switzerland, is a divided highway connecting from Ballaigues to southwestern Switzerland. It is part of the National Road N9....
.
The choice of a viaduct was dictated by the steeply-sloping terrain, the need to avoid extensive deforestation and the esthetic implications of the proximity of the Château de Chillon. A tunnel was considered for the site, but was rejected to keep costs down. The bridge uses prefabricated concrete parts, assembled from a crane spanning overhead from pier to pier
The two viaducts span a total of 2150 metres (7,053.8 ft) at a height of 100 metres (328.1 ft) above the lake. The two structures are staggered by several meters in height. The supporting piers are between 3 and 45 metres (147.6 ft) high and are separated by spans of 92 metres (301.8 ft), 98 metres (321.5 ft)} or 104 metres (341.2 ft). At the northern end of the viaduct, the road enters the Glion Tunnel
Glion Tunnel
The Glion Tunnel is a two-gallery vehicular tunnel running underneath Montreux in Switzerland. It carries autoroute A9, which links the Vaud canton to the Valais, and was placed in service in November 1970...
. The southern end of the viaduct ends on the heights of Villeneuve. The viaduct offers an expansive view of Lac Léman, the Chablais
Chablais
Chablais was a province of the Duchy of Savoy. Its capital was Thonon-les-Bains.This region is currently divided into three territories, the Chablais savoyard, the Chablais valaisan, and the Chablais vaudois, and is now split across two countries: France and Switzerland...
, and Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie is a French department in the Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France. It borders both Switzerland and Italy. The capital is Annecy. To the north is Lake Geneva and Switzerland; to the south and southeast are the Mont Blanc and Aravis mountain ranges and the French entrance to the Mont...
on the opposite side of the lake.
Source
- This article incorporates text translated from the corresponding French Wikipedia article as of January 11, 2011.
External links
- Viaduc de Chillon at the École Polytechnique Fédéral de Lausanne (in French)