Ersatz Staumauer Spitallamm
Summerloch 1, 3864 Guttannen, Switzerland, Guttannen
+41 33 982 20 11
Beautiful building.
She stands perfectly still.
At the Grimsel Pass, a rocky landscape with gigantic granite cliffs strikes you. A stunning work of nature. And then comes the view of a gigantic dam—a work of human hands. This is the new Spitallamm Dam. It is intended to replace the old one, built in 1932, which had developed deep cracks over time. The new dam is double-curved (curved both horizontally and vertically) and is 113 meters high. The new wall is being built adjacent to the old one, just 15 meters away. The old dam will not be demolished; it will be completely submerged on both sides. The active construction phase began in 2019. The last concrete block was poured in September 2024. Full operation is scheduled for 2026. Keep in mind that all this is happening at an altitude of approximately 1,900 meters above sea level. Due to the harsh climate, work is only conducted from May to October. Two gigantic cranes, over 90 meters tall and capable of withstanding extreme winds and snowfalls, were used for construction. I visited there in August 2024.