Schöllenen Gorge
Description
The Schöllenen Gorge played a central role in the development of the Gotthard route, one of Europe's most important north-south connections. This strategic location also made the Ursern Valley the starting point for journeys to the west (Furka Pass) and east (Oberalp Pass). Around 1200, the gorge was opened up by the construction of the Twärren Bridge and the ‘Stiebender Steg’ footbridge, probably built by the Walser people. In 1585, the Teufelsbrücke (Devil's Bridge) was built, the first stone bridge, but it was destroyed by a storm around 60 years later. In 1707, the Ticino fortress builder Pietro Morettini blasted a passage through the Kirchenberg rock and created the Urnerloch, the first tunnel in the Alps. The approximately 60-metre-long tunnel made the route through the gorge much safer. In the 19th century, the route was further expanded so that it could also be used by carriages and sleighs. With the opening of the approximately 15-kilometre-long Gotthard Tunnel between Göschenen and Airolo in 1882, the journey time across the Gotthard was reduced from almost a week to around nine hours.
The Devil in the Schöllenen Gorge
A striking feature of the gorge is the mural ‘The Devil with the Goat’ by the Uri painter and poet Heinrich Danioth. The artist brought expressionism to the canton of Uri in the 1920s, causing quite a stir. In 1950, he painted the devil on a steep rock face above the Devil's Bridge. The work was initially controversial – signatures were even collected to have it removed. In 1955, the original painting had to make way for the new national road. In 1961, however, the devil was given a new home slightly above its original location. Since then, it has been gazing down from the rock face over the gorge and the roaring Reuss river. The mural was restored in 2021.
Experience the Schöllenen Gorge today
If you want to explore the Schöllenen Gorge today, you can walk the Schöllenen circular trail during the summer months. The approximately 30-minute hike leads along steep rock faces and the rushing Reuss river and offers impressive views of the gorge. Important: the circular trail is not accessible in winter (November to approx. May).
The ‘Mystical Schöllenen’ audio tour is particularly exciting, providing additional stories and background information about the gorge, the Devil's Bridge and the myth of Gotthard along the way. This allows you to not only see the impressive landscape, but also experience it in a new way.