Ravenna viaduct

The stone viaduct with a total length of 224 metres is a well-known ice railway bridge of the Höllentalbahn, which crosses the viaduct. It is located above the Hotel Hofgut Sternen and is characterised by its nine concrete arches made of granite stones.

The former Ravenna viaduct

The Ravenna viaduct was built from 1885 according to plans by railway pioneer Robert Gerwig. With a total length of 144 metres and a height of 37 metres, the ice railway bridge was completed in 1887. It had three masonry sandstone piers, a steel truss superstructure and was built behind the current bridge. Today, only the abutments of the former bridge can be seen. The old Ravenna Bridge was demolished after the new one was built.

Today's Ravenna viaduct

Due to increased demands in train traffic, the current Ravenna Bridge, a masonry stone viaduct with nine arches and a span of 20 metres, was built in August 1926, straightening the route and shortening it by 38 metres. The new bridge is 36 metres high, 224 metres long and overcomes a gradient of 12 metres. Some of the piers had to be anchored up to 30 metres deep in the ground. This was necessary as the ground surface consisted only of rubble, clay and boulders. The vaults are made of Forbach granite and the pillar shafts of granite layered masonry with a concrete core. The floors and pillars were protected against weathering by natural stone walls.

During the Second World War, the bridge was the target of Allied air raids, but was not hit due to the use of barrage balloons. On 21 and 22 April 1945, before the end of the war, it was blown up by German pioneers. Shortly after the demolition, it is said that a military signalman arrived from Freiburg with the order not to blow it up. The explosive charges had already been placed in 1941. The blasting destroyed pillars three to five and vaults 3 to 6, which corresponds to a length of over 100 metres. Until the reconstruction in 1947/48, travellers had to walk between the Höllsteig and Hinterzarten stations through the Löffeltal valley.

From October 1946, it was rebuilt under the supervision of the French occupying forces, also using around 80 German prisoners of war obliged to perform forced labour for one million Reichsmarks, so that large quantities of logs, which had to be delivered from the Black Forest as reparations, could be transported away. The festive reopening took place on 22 December 1947, before continuous traffic on the Höllentalbahn began again a day later. Prior to this, however, the bridge's load-bearing capacity had been tested with four steam locomotives.

Today, the Ravenna Viaduct is the venue for the world-famous The Ravenna Gorge Christmas Market, which takes place every year on the Advent weekends.

All hikers who walk the Black Forest Highlands Home Trail and the Höllsteig high-altitude climate trail pass by the impressive structure.