COVERED BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER AARE NEAR WANGEN

Fig.1      Overall-length 295 ft.; 3 new piers built in the year 1966; stone pier in 1552 toward the right bank, behind the town; struts to rise bearing capacity built in 1934;

In Switzerland there are in an area of almost the double size of Vermont still about 200 Covered Bridges in use. On more than half of them motor vehicles with reduced loads are admitted.

The oldest bridges in Switzerland (and in most countries of Europe) were built by the old Romans more than 2,000 years ago and even before. Just about 40 years ago digging by excavators for flood protection works exposed oak piles of a timber bridge dated by dendrochronology in 143 B.C.

The oldest covered bridge in Switzerland still in use for pedestrians is the Kapellbruecke in Luzern, first mentioned in a written document in 1333. In August 1993 it burnt down almost completely and was restored in the old way, that means no timber or log is historic but the system of construction is still that of 1333.
* Wangenbruecke

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