DER ANDERMATTER Sommer 2016

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Imposing is the best word to describe the Schöllenen Gorge,
a harsh obstacle that is difficult to overcome. And it was indeed
a long time before anyone wishing to travel south was able to
get past it. The route over the Gotthard was once one of the
most popular Alpine crossings. It was unique in that it only had
one pass to cross on the way south – a great advantage for the
Urseren Valley and its development. Various historical road constructions
and artworks in the Schöllenen Gorge bear witness
today to its eventful history and its significance. The hiking trail
between Andermatt and Göschenen is best explored on foot.
However, a look around the main stopping points shows that
many also make the trip by bike, racing cycle, train or car.
Three arches over the river Reuss
As soon as you arrive in the Schöllenen Gorge, you see the first
cultural monument just before Göschenen: the Devil's Stone (1).
It's a widely-known reminder of the legend of the devil
(see box). To the right of it the road branches off to the former
Das Russendenkmal. The Russian Monument.
railway village of Göschenen, from where the Matterhorn-
Gotthard-Bahn (2) cog railway runs to Andermatt. The
Schöllenen railway, as it was originally called, has been tackling
a gradient of up to 17.9 % up the gorge since 1917.
Further along the road into the Schöllenen Gorge, the
Häderlisbrücke (3) bridge soon comes into view. Its three
arches span the river, following the old drovers' route over the
Reuss. It used to mark the boundary between the Uri and the
Urseren drovers' route. What stands there today is the careful
reconstruction of the original bridge from 1649. Just a few
steps further and you can see the alte Wasserfassung (4),
the old water catchment that the builder of the first Gotthard
railway tunnel, Louis Favre, used to power his pneumatic
drilling machines.
Take a break near the "devil's work"
The road then winds upwards over 300 metres in altitude,
following sharp bends and straight passages, until it reaches
the top. Every metre seems to have been forged by nature.
If you allow your gaze to wander though the fissured rocks,
you'll often glimpse a few chamois goats. Towards the end of
the climb is the famous Teufelsbrücke, or "Devil's Bridge" (5).
A first wooden bridge sat enthroned over this imposing gorge
by around 1230. In 1595 the wooden bridge was replaced by
the first stone Devil's Bridge. The second Devil's Bridge, built in
1830, can nowadays be crossed on foot, and the third, dating
from 1956, is now used by motorized vehicles.
The famous work "Teufel und Ziegenbock" ("Devil and Billy
Goat") (6) by the Uri artist Heinrich Danioth hangs on the cliff
wall to the left, by the Devil's Bridge. And, above the Devil's
Bridge, at the first hairpin bend, the "Restaurant Teufelsbrücke"
(7) invites you to stop for a bite to eat. The small catering
establishment has remained closed for several years and it will
celebrate its reopening this summer thanks to the commitment
of local residents. Behind the restaurant is the Russendenkmal
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