Interlaken, Bern, Switzerland — Central Europe (the Alps)
Adolf Guyer-Zeller - A Railway up the Jungfrau
Adolf Guyer-Zeller - Eine Bahn auf der Jungfrau
Eine Bahn auf der Jungfrau
Die Idee, das Projekt war genial. Adolf Guyer-Zeller hat aller Schwierigkeiten zum Trotz den Start zum Bau der Jungfraubahn geschafft. Auch nach hundert Jahren gilt sie als wichtiges Zugpferd für den erfolgreichen Tourismus in der Jungfrau Region.
Adolf Guyer-Seller war ein Man der Tat. Hatte sich der Zürcher Oberländer Unternehmer etwas vorgenommen, so wusste er dieses mit all seiner Kraft umzusetzen. Als ungekrönter Eisenbahnkönig der Schweiz fehlte ihm nur noch eine Bahn: Die Bahn auf die Jungfrau. Seine einfache, aber realistische Idee, hatte er sich 1893 bei einem Besuch im Mürren auf ein Blatt aus seinem Taschenkalender skizziert. Inspiriert von dem dampfendem Zügen der frisch eröffneten Wengneralpbahn, begann sein Projekt an ihrem Ziel, der kleinen Scheidegg auf 2061 Metern. 1896 griffen die ersten Bauarbeiter zu Pickel, Schauffel und Bohrer. In einem Basislager richteten sich über 300 Ingenieure, Mineure und einfache Arbeiter am Fusse des Eigers ein. In vier Jahren sollte der Gipfel der Jungfrau erreicht sein. Doch dieses stolze Ziel war nie Realität. Nach drei Jahren starb Adolf Guyer-Zeller an einer Lungenentzündung im Alter von kaum 60 Jahren. Dreizehn weitere Jahre brauchte seine Söhne, um den Tunnelbau bis zum Jungfraujoch anzutreiben. Adolf Guyer-Zeller hätte sich mit dem Erreichten wohl kaum zufrieden gegeben...
Doch so einfach und schnell wie er sich seine "Königin der Bergbahnen" vorgestellt hatte, kam die Jungfraubahn nicht in Fahrt. Technische Nachnüsse galt es zu lösen, politische Hindernisse aus dem Weg zu räumen und die nötigen Finanzen aufzutreiben.
Das mutige Werk des unerschrocken Pioniers ist zum Erfolgzug für den Tourismus in der Jungfrauregion, ja der Schweiz geworden, zum Top of Europe.
A Railway up the Jungfrau
The idea and project were both ingenious. Despite all the problems, Adolf Geyer-Zeller managed to commence construction of the Jungfrau Railroad. And one hundred years latter, this still ranks as the driving force behind successful tourism in the Jungfrau Region.
Adolf Guyer-Zeller was a man of action. Once the businessman from the Zurich Oberland had set his sights on something, he knew how to do his utmost to achieve it. As Switzerland’s uncrowned Railway King, he lacked just one thing: a railway up to the Jungfrau. His simple, yet realistic idea came to him whilst on a visit to Mürren in 1893 and he sketched it on a page of his diary. Inspired by the steaming locomotives of the newly opened Wengernalp Railway, his project began at the railway’s summit station on Kleine Scheidegg, at 2061 metres altitude.
But the Jungfrau Railway, his "Queen of Mountain Railways" did gather speed as easily and quickly as he had envisaged. There were technical problems to solve, political hurdles to overcome and the necessary finances to raise. The first construction workers took up their drills, picks and shovels in 1896 and over 300 engineers, miners and labourers set up a base camp at the foot of the Eiger. The goal was to reach the Jungfrau summit in 4 years but this ambitious target was never realized. Adolf Guyer-Zeller died of pneumonia 3 years later, at barely 60 years of age. It took his sons another 13 years to push the tunnel up as far as the Jungfraujoch. Adolf Guyer-Zeller would hardly have been satisfied with that achievement.
The bold masterpiece of this courageous pioneer has become the force driving the success of tourism in the Jungfrau Region, indeed even in Switzerland, to the Top of Europe.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1893.
Location. 46° 41.404′ N, 7° 51.974′ E. Marker is in Interlaken, Bern. Marker can be reached from Höheweg, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Höheweg 94, Interlaken, Bern 3800, Switzerland. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 7 other markers are within 16 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies. On the Panorama Mountain in Just a Few Minutes (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line); Hotel Beau Rivage (about 150 meters away); From Spa Hall to Congress Centre (approx. 0.6 kilometers away); Casino Interlaken - Fun and Games since 1859 (approx. 0.6 kilometers away); From Jungfrauenberg to Jungfrau (approx. 0.8 kilometers away); Sir Arnold Lunn (approx. 14.3 kilometers away); James Bond: Curling on the Terrace/Attack on Piz Gloria (approx. 15 kilometers away).
More about this marker. This marker is located in a park next to the Aare River.
Also see . . . Adolf Guyer-Zeller - Switzerland - Information. Adolf Guyer (1839 - 1899) was one of Switzerland's railway pioneers, whose greatest work was inspired by a few days holiday in the village of Mürren in the Bernese Oberland in 1893. (Submitted on August 21, 2013, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2022. It was originally submitted on August 21, 2013, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 926 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on August 21, 2013, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. 6, 7. submitted on August 25, 2013. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.