Lavant viaduct

The Lavant Viaduct is a motorway bridge that spans the Lavant River in Carinthia. It carries the A2 motorway high above the valley floor. The bridge is 1,097 metres long and rises 165 metres above the river. It is the second-highest bridge in Austria. The first bridge opened in 1986, but only on the left side. The right side was added years later. The bridge is worth seeing for its sheer size and engineering. It carries thousands of vehicles every day between Bad Sankt Leonhard and Wolfsberg. The two sides were built twenty years apart because of cost-cutting measures. The second side was completed in 2007 after a long delay. Visitors can stop at the nearby lookout points for views of the bridge and valley. The structure dominates the landscape with its long span and great height. The Lavant River winds far below, adding to the dramatic effect. The contrast between the bridge and the natural surroundings is striking.